POLITICS-SAFETY: VIENTIANE – NRA seeks more funding for Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) UXO clearance
Funding for unexploded ordnance (UXO) surveys and clearance is needed from various sources as there is currently a funding shortfall, according to an official report.
The National Regulatory Authority (NRA) for the UXO/Mine Action sector in Laos will continue its fundraising drive this year.
The NRA needs US$31.6 million to pay for the survey and clearance of UXO in at-risk areas, as well as to assist the survivors of UXO-related accidents by paying for medical checkups and treatment, and helping with employment.
Last year, the NRA sourced more than US$26.8 million through the government and overseas organisations, which was used for several UXO clearance projects.
The NRA outlined the current situation at a meeting it hosted on March 28-29 to review its activities.
Officials will continue to seek funding for the survey and clearance of UXO in at-risk areas, in a bid to prevent people being injured or killed by UXO.
It is expected that 4,480 hectares of land still contaminated by UXO will be cleared by the end of this year, and be used for agriculture, industry, tourism, and infrastructure development.
In 2016, some 3,365 hectares of land was cleared of UXO. Clearance teams found 94,061 items, including 77,043 cluster munitions.
In 2017, a total of 108,586 UXO items were removed, including 84,977 cluster munitions, on 3,882 hectares of land.
According to the NRA’s annual project review, from 2008 to 2017, some 920 people were injured or killed in almost 600 UXO-related accidents, with the number of fatalities recorded at 244.
During this period there was a substantial decrease in the annual casualty figures, from over 300 in 2008 to 41 in 2017.
The figure of 41 almost reaches the target figure of 40 set in the National Strategic Plan for the UXO sector.
Many accidents occur when people set fire to brush. However, there has been a steady decline in the number of accidents caused by the destruction of UXO items and through lighting fires, cutting grass, and disturbing explosive devices.
The NRA has worked with international organisations to clear UXO and is continuing these partnerships with a view to achieving the nation’s country-specific Sustainable Development Goal 18.
Principal targets in this goal include a decrease in the number of UXO accidents to less than 40 a year.
It is hoped that with sufficient effort and funding, UXO accidents can be made a thing of the past by 2030. /By Times Reporters (Latest Update March 31, 2018 / Borneo Bulletin / | | All photographs, news, editorials, opinions, information, data, others have been taken from the Internet ..aseanews.net | [email protected] | For comments, Email to : aseanews.net |
