Vietnam
Support for Mine Action
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is heavily contaminated by explosive remnants of war (ERW), mainly unexploded ordnance (UXO) dating back to the war with the United States (US) in the 1960s and first half of the 1970s. Vietnam contains some of the most widespread and extensive contamination from cluster munition remnants in the world.[1]
In 2014, as in previous years, Vietnam did not report national contributions to mine action, but it was reported in the media that Vietnam has spent $30 million per year on mine clearance work.[2] The lack of transparency and legislative oversight makes tracking government expenditures for mine action difficult. In April 2010, Vietnam released its 2010–2025 National Mine Action Plan. Although the plan did not include projected costs, a media article at the time of the plan’s release reported Vietnam “annually invests hundreds of billions of dong on disposing UXO and supporting victims.”[3]
In 2014, seven donors contributed US$14.3 million for clearance, victim assistance, and risk education.[4] The US and the United Kingdom (UK) provided the largest contributions with a combined total of $12 million, which represents 85% of total international assistance provided in 2014.
International contributions: 2014[5]
|
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount ($) |
|
US |
Various |
$10,479,000 |
10,479,000 |
|
UK |
Clearance and risk education |
£998,779 |
1,646,387 |
|
Canada |
Clearance |
C$1,009,961 |
914,571 |
|
Germany |
Clearance |
€421,457 |
560,411 |
|
Ireland |
Clearance |
€200,000 |
265,940 |
|
Norway |
Clearance |
NOK1,490,000 |
236,624 |
|
Australia |
Victim assistance |
A$250,000 |
225,850 |
|
Total |
|
|
14,328,783 |
International contributions to mine action in Vietnam have been relatively consistent since 2010, with about $47 million provided representing an average of $9.4 million per year.
Summary of contributions: 2010–2014[6]
|
Year |
Amount ($) |
% change from previous year |
|
2014 |
14,328,784 |
60 |
|
2013 |
8,990,313 |
3 |
|
2012 |
8,721,254 |
11 |
|
2011 |
7,888,057 |
12 |
|
2010 |
7,073,255 |
69 |
|
Total |
47,001,663 |
N/A |
Note: N/A = not applicable
[1] For more details see, Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, “Country Profile: Vietnam: Mine Action.”
[2] “VN calls on donors to help with clean up of explosives,” Vietnam News, 15 March 2014.
[3] “PM approves programme on unexploded ordnance,” Vietnam News (Hanoi), 29 April 2010. The equivalent of VND100 billion is approximately $5.28 million. Average exchange rate for 2009: US$1=VND17493.10, Oanda, www.oanda.com.
[4] Australia Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Protocol II Annual Report, 27 March 2015; Canada Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 30 April 2015; Germany Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, 16 March 2015; Ireland Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form J, June 2015; email from Owen Blackburn, Humanitarian Unit, Department of Foreign Affairs, Irish Aid, 5 June 2015; responses to Monitor questionnaire by Ingrid Schoyen, Senior Advisor, Section for Humanitarian Affairs, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 18 May 2015; and by Laura Callaghan-Pace, Policy Analyst, UK Department for International Development, 1 May 2015; US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety – 2015,” 2 November 2015.
[5] Average exchange rate for 2014: A$1=US$0.9034; C$1.1043=US$1; €1=US$1.3297; NOK6.2969=US$1; £1=US$1.6484. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 2 January 2015.
[6] See previous Monitor reports.