A M117 bomb weighing 340 kilos is found in a rice field in Quang Tri Province on October 26, 2023.
The Quang Tri Provincial Department of Foreign Affairs announced on February 26 that the Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effects of War (RENEW) Project funded through Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA/Norway) and the Survey and Clearance of Unexploded Ordnance to Reduce Hazards and Support Socio-Economic Development in Quang Tri Province 2021-2025 Project, funded through PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN/USA), have been temporarily resumed.
According to the department, these two projects have been granted temporary exemption and permitted to continue implementation. The NPA project is authorised to operate within the validity of its current funding package (until April 30, 2025) or until the US government announces the results of its foreign aid review. The PTVN project was temporarily resumed from February 24, 2025, until further notice or until the donor’s suspension directive concludes.
Previously, the US government had required foreign non-governmental organisations receiving funding from the US government, including the US Department of State and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to suspend activities for 90 days (starting January 25, 2025) for evaluation and review.
This decision affected key projects related to surveying and clearing unexploded ordnance in Quang Tri province. The US Department of State funds these projects through organisations such as the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), NPA, and PTVN. The project supporting persons with disabilities, including Agent Orange/dioxin victims, is funded through non-refundable Official Development Assistance (ODA) from USAID.
These projects play a crucial role in post-war recovery efforts in the province, addressing landmine contamination, enabling land clearance for livelihood development, and ensuring community safety. Additionally, they have provided support to persons with disabilities, including Agent Orange/dioxin victims, helping them integrate into the community, improve their livelihoods, and access rehabilitation services.
Quang Tri province has approximately 62,000 hectares contaminated with cluster munitions. Over 37,000 hectares have been cleared, with more than 830,000 bombs and other unexploded ordnance safely removed. For more than 20 years, US-funded NGOs have been highly effective in mine clearance efforts in the region.
