KOICA helps protect residents in central provinces from UXO risk

The three central provinces are among the most affected areas by unexploded ordnance. UNDP will cooperate with the Viet Nam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC) and these provinces to deliver the project's expected results, including survey and clearance of 15,000 hectares; provision of more specialized medical services for the UXO victims based on the data from the victims' registration system developed in the first phase; education of risks from UXO and climate disasters/ issues for people in targeted areas.

The project is also expected to support 10,500 farmers in targeted areas to apply smart-climate and resilient agriculture. Meanwhile, 400 flood and storm resilient houses, and 50 commune health stations will be built or upgraded for local people.

The Peace Village project is built on the Korea-Vietnam Mine Action project (KVMAP) – a fruitful partnership of VNMAC, KOICA and UNDP over the past 4 years – which has surveyed and cleared nearly 17,000 hectares of land, paving the way for building sustainable livelihoods for people in Quang Binh and Binh Dinh provinces, and helped improve the resilience of 450,000 people through risk education and provide support for 1,000 UXO victims.

"KOICA is pleased to implement this meaningful project in Viet Nam where there are still many areas heavily contaminated with UXO after the war," said Mr. Cho Han-Deog, KOICA Country Director. "Korea-Viet Nam Mine Action Project (KVMAP) was the first phase of the project, during which we have achieved outstanding performance through the close cooperation among KOICA, the Vietnamese Government and UNDP. In the second phase, the Korea-Vietnam Peace Village Project (KVPVP) will be implemented in the three provinces of Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh. I hope the project can contribute not only to the social economic development in Viet Nam, but also to peace and safe life for residents".

Addressing the signing ceremony, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Viet Nam Patrick Haverman considered the signing of the joint agreement between KOICA and the three central provinces as "the first important milestone of the Korea- Viet Nam Peace Village Project".

"UNDP will provide overall management, technical support and quality assurance of the Project," said Mr. Haverman. "We look forward to working with the three provinces to deliver the project for further mine action while enabling safer, greener & more resilient local development".