HÀ NỘI — The Vietnamese foreign ministry on Thursday said cooperation in handling war legacy issues is considered a "fundamental factor" in the relationship between Việt Nam and the United States.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Phạm Thu Hằng made the remarks during the regular press briefing in Hà Nội, when asked about the fact that while over 80 per cent of USAID's projects have been cut under the President Donald Trump's administration, many projects related to addressing war consequences in Việt Nam remain intact.

This collaboration plays an essential role in the process of reconciliation and trust-building between the two countries, paving the way for new opportunities for cooperation in other important areas.

Many cooperation projects between Việt Nam and US in this field are still actively being conducted or have been recently resumed, including projects pertaining to the removal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and the cleanup at Agent Orange-contaminated Biên Hoà airbase (Đồng Nai Province), she noted.

The continued, substantive and effective implementation of these projects will play a key role in further bolstering the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation and Sustainable Development between Việt Nam and the US, Hằng underscored.

Today, Quảng Trị Province, the most heavily contaminated by UXO in Việt Nam due to the fierce fighting between Vietnamese and American forces during the war, confirmed that several US-funded projects in the central province have resumed, after being suspended earlier this year for evaluation and review.

They include the Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effects of War (RENEW) Project funded through Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA/Norway) with funding of over US$9.7 million, the Survey and Clearance of Unexploded Ordnance to Reduce Hazards and Support Socio-Economic Development in Quảng Trị Province 2021-25 Project funded through PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN) with over $14.5 million and the capacity building for the Quảng Trị Province's Mine Action Centre for the 2022-25 period with a budget of $1.4 million, also funded through the NPA/Norway.

A project on improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in areas heavily sprayed with Agent Orange for the 2021-26 period using non-refundable ODA funds from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is also back in operation. This project is implemented in eight provinces of Việt Nam, including Quảng Trị with funding of more than $5.6 million.

Previously, the US government required foreign non-governmental organisations receiving its funding, including the US Department of State and the USAID, to suspend activities for 90 days, starting January 25, for evaluation and review.

This decision affected key projects related to surveying and clearing unexploded ordnance in the locality financed by the US Department of State through organisations such as the Mines Advisory Group, NPA and PTVN.

These projects play a crucial role in post-war recovery efforts in the province, addressing landmine contamination, enabling land clearance for livelihood development and ensuring community safety.

Quảng Trị Province has approximately 62,000ha contaminated with cluster munitions. An area of over 37,000ha has already been cleared, with more than 830,000 bombs and other unexploded ordnance safely removed. For more than 20 years, US-funded NGOs have been highly effective in mine clearance efforts in the province. — VNA/VNS