The US-Vietnam Dialogue Group on Agent Orange/dioxin has set out a US$300 million plan of action during the 2010-2019 period, focusing on human health and the environment.
The statement was made by Vice Chair of the National Assembly’s Committee for External Affairs Ngo Quang Xuan, Co-Head of the Dialogue Group, at a press conference to announce the group’s Declaration and the 2010-2019 Action Plan in Hanoi on June 16.
The group’s approaches include raising awareness of the public, especially US authorities and people, mobilizing all possible resources for addressing the AO/dioxin issue in Vietnam and prioritizing projects which clean dioxin-contaminated areas, restoring the environment and supporting people exposed to the toxic chemical and their families’ members, he stated.
Assessing the AO/dioxin situation in Vietnam, the dialogue group said that between 1962 and 1971, the US troops sprayed over 80 million litres of herbicides, including AO/dioxin on one fourth of southern Vietnam’s territory. At least 4.5 million Vietnamese people, including 2.8 million soldiers, were exposed to the toxic chemical from 1962 to 1975. Researchers pointed out 28 hot spots of dioxin contamination in Vietnam and that AO causes numerous fatal diseases for those exposed to it.
Therefore, the group called for full support from the US to basically address the AO/dioxin issue – a big issue in the US-Vietnam ties– in order to strengthen the developing relationship between the two countries.
The group’s approaches include raising awareness of the public, especially US authorities and people, mobilizing all possible resources for addressing the AO/dioxin issue in Vietnam and prioritizing projects which clean dioxin-contaminated areas, restoring the environment and supporting people exposed to the toxic chemical and their families’ members, he stated.
Assessing the AO/dioxin situation in Vietnam, the dialogue group said that between 1962 and 1971, the US troops sprayed over 80 million litres of herbicides, including AO/dioxin on one fourth of southern Vietnam’s territory. At least 4.5 million Vietnamese people, including 2.8 million soldiers, were exposed to the toxic chemical from 1962 to 1975. Researchers pointed out 28 hot spots of dioxin contamination in Vietnam and that AO causes numerous fatal diseases for those exposed to it.
Therefore, the group called for full support from the US to basically address the AO/dioxin issue – a big issue in the US-Vietnam ties– in order to strengthen the developing relationship between the two countries.
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