King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium had a meeting with children affected by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin in HCM City during their visit to the War Remnants Museum on April 3. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium visited the War Remnants Museum and met with children affected by Agent Orange (AO)/dioxin in HCM City on Thursday, as part of their ongoing state visit to Việt Nam.

At the museum in District 3, the King and the Queen toured an exhibition on the consequences of AO/dioxin. They also attended "Agent Orange: From Past to Future", an event organised by the museum, where they learned about the latest technologies and achievements in cleaning up AO-contaminated areas in Việt Nam, by Haemers Technologies, a Belgian company.

Speaking at the event, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, and Development Cooperation Maxime Prevot highlighted the rapid geopolitical changes worldwide. Amid these changes, he reaffirmed Belgium’s steadfast support for Việt Nam. One of the key demonstrations of this commitment is the Belgian Chamber of Representatives' adoption of a resolution in support of the AO/dioxin victims in Việt Nam.

He emphasised that Belgium stands ready to support its Vietnamese friends through scientific and technical cooperation in the treatment and cleaning of dioxin-contaminated soil, backed by a solid financial solution.

On this occasion, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were also introduced to the Aquitara Impact Fund, a Belgian investment fund dedicated to partnering with Haemers Technologies. The fund aims to integrate environmental restoration with economic redevelopment by cleaning up contaminated land, developing eco-industrial zones, and incorporating renewable energy solutions.

Earlier in the day, the Belgian monarchs visited Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda in District 3 to explore Vietnamese Buddhist culture. Before that, they had a meeting with Nguyễn Văn Nên, Politburo member and Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee. — VNA/VNS

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and the monks of Vĩnh Nghiêm Pagoda in District 3, HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo