Vietnam will need around $10 billion to clear all mines, cluster munitions and unexploded ordnance (UXO), announced a seminar in Hanoi on November 24.

The seminar and a show of advanced demining equipment and technologies was held by the State Steering Committee of the national action programme on settling the consequences caused by UXO (Steering Board 504), the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD).

Currently, mines and UXO remain in all provinces and cities across Vietnam with a total contaminated area of up to 6.6 million hectares, accounting for 20.12 percent of country’s total area.

During the two-day event, participants will hear about the current situation regarding mines, bombs and UXO and challenges in clearing them in Vietnam, and discuss advanced technological solutions relevant to the circumstances in the country.

Foreign producers and organisations will exhibit advanced demining equipment and technologies to deal with mines, bombs and UXO.

The Prime Minister approved the national action programme on settling the consequences caused by UXO in the 2010-2025 period on April 21, 2010 to mobilise domestic and foreign resources to mitigate and eliminate mines and bombs to serve socio-economic development, ensure safety for citizens and help victims of mines and bombs integrate into society.