This was the eighth time the US Department of State offered such equipment to Vietnam in order to reinforce its capacity to deal with the explosive hazards that remain after thirty years of war.

This year’s donation includes 181 mine detectors, twenty bomb locators, fifteen sets of individual protective equipment, three explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) suits, eighteen trauma medical kits, and replacement seals for a mobile explosion containment vessel. An additional ambulance will also be donated to BOCIMEN by the US Department of Defence early next year.

The US has long been committed to addressing UXO/landmine problems. Since joining the US Government’s Humanitarian Mine Action Program in 2000, Vietnam has received over US$37 million in US Government mine action aid programme, which is aimed at supporting various non-governmental organizations for mine and UXO surveys and clearance, mine risk education and mine survivors assistance.