Chemical Corps – Standing Office 81 – National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment Hold a Meeting to Mark the 97th Anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day

The Chemical Corps – National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) – Standing Office of the National Focal Point for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (Standing Office 81) held a meeting with news agencies and the press to mark the 97th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day.

The meeting was chaired by Major General Ha Van Cu, Commander of the Chemical Corps, concurrently Director General of the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) and Head of the Standing Office of the National Focal Point for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and Senior Colonel Trinh Thanh Dong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Political Commissar of the Chemical Corps;

The meeting was attended by Major General Nguyen Kim Ton, Director of the Military Radio and Television Centre, as well as leaders, reporters and editors of central and Hanoi press agencies.

Major General Ha Van Cu speaking at the meeting.

At the meeting, the National Action Centre for Toxic Chemicals and Environmental Treatment (NACCET) provided information on the results of its work to remediate the consequences of toxic chemicals and the environment, with the following highlights: surveying and assessing dioxin contamination at 7 military and field airbases covering a total area of more than 11,000 ha; treating nearly 200,000 m3 of dioxin-contaminated soil by isolated landfill containment at Bien Hoa airbase; treating contaminated soil at Phu Cat and Da Nang airbases; leading numerous projects to survey, re-survey, collect and treat residual CS agent left after the war in the Central Highlands provinces and the provinces of the South-East and the Mekong Delta, involving more than 600 tonnes of toxic agent and 10,000 tonnes of contaminated soil and munitions containing CS agent; and working with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement the project "Support to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange" in 8 provinces and cities severely affected by the war, namely Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Kon Tum, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai and Tay Ninh, with total planned aid of USD 65 million for the period 2020–2024.

In the coming period, NACCET will continue to fully remediate hotspots and areas with residual toxic chemicals and to implement solutions to restore and rehabilitate the environment and return it in a safe condition; implement the dioxin remediation project at A So airbase (A Luoi, Thua Thien Hue); develop plans, mobilise funding and apply technology to fully remediate contaminated soil at Phu Cat airbase; conduct a comprehensive survey and assessment and build a database and digital map of Agent Orange/dioxin contamination resulting from the use of these chemicals by the U.S. military during the war in Vietnam; and build a database and information management software to support Agent Orange/dioxin victims, while seeking solutions, pursuing international cooperation and mobilising social resources to support improvements in the quality of life of Agent Orange victims.

          In addition, in its function as the Standing Office of the National Focal Point of Vietnam for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), Standing Office 81 is the representative and standing body acting on behalf of the National Focal Point in matters relating to countering the proliferation of WMD. Standing Office 81 reported on the results of the implementation of the Government's Decree No. 81/2019/ND-CP of 11 November 2019 on countering the proliferation of WMD to date, with the following highlights: advising and assisting the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence in effectively performing the state management function for countering the proliferation of WMD assigned by the Government; effectively performing its function as the national focal point linking and guiding ministries, sectors and localities in implementing Decree No. 81/2019/ND-CP; fulfilling its national coordination role in international cooperation activities for training personnel, providing and exchanging information, technical assistance, legislative development and capacity building for implementation in countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and regularly organising training and exercises and implementing plans to prevent, stop, respond to and remediate WMD proliferation activities.

Also at the meeting, Standing Office 81 launched the website of the Standing Office of the National Focal Point of Vietnam for countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, which will help to promote wide-ranging communication activities and to develop a technical support database for countering the proliferation of WMD.

Launch of the Standing Office 81 website on the internet

Speaking at the meeting, Major General Ha Van Cu, Commander of the Chemical Corps, concurrently Director General of NACCET and Head of Standing Office 81, congratulated the journalists, reporters, editors and all those working in the media and press on the 97th anniversary of Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day, and set out the following orientations for communication on the activities of the Chemical Corps:

With regard to the task of participating in the remediation of the consequences of toxic chemicals after the war:

First, providing information to and raising the awareness of troops and all strata of the population about the guidelines, policies and plans of the Party, the State and the Ministry of National Defence on remediating the consequences of toxic chemicals after the war. This clearly demonstrates the determination and great political responsibility of the Party, the State and the Army, and carries profound humanitarian significance; it helps to raise awareness, consciousness and responsibility and to encourage and mobilise the combined strength of all levels, sectors, social organisations, the people and the international community to join hands in overcoming the consequences of war, so that the "pain of Agent Orange" is not borne by anyone alone.

Second, the role and efforts of the Chemical Troops in participating in the remediation of the consequences of toxic chemicals after the war, focusing on the following activities: advising on the improvement of mechanisms, policies and legislation on remediating the consequences of toxic chemicals after the war; scientific, technological and environmental research; surveying, collecting data, completing databases and directly treating contaminated sites in order to control exposure risks and to reduce and prevent any increase in the number of victims, thereby creating basic favourable conditions for localities to plan and use land for economic development; advocacy and international cooperation aimed at attracting the attention and support of other countries and international organisations in securing financial resources, equipment and technology, training personnel and sharing experience so as to accelerate the remediation of the consequences of toxic chemicals after the war; and support for and implementation of policies and benefits for victims of toxic chemicals.

With regard to the task of countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction:

First, advising on the improvement of the legal framework for countering the proliferation and proliferation financing of weapons of mass destruction. In the immediate term, this means finalising the documents for the implementation of Decree No. 81/2019/ND-CP in accordance with the plan approved by the Prime Minister, conducting a preliminary review of the implementation of Decree No. 81/2019/ND-CP, and studying and proposing the development of a legal normative document of higher legal force in the field of countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction after 2025.

Second, activities to enhance the potential for countering the proliferation and proliferation financing of weapons of mass destruction (forces, means, technical equipment, science and technology, financial resources, etc.)

Third, activities of agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defence and the Chemical Corps in countering the proliferation and proliferation financing of weapons of mass destruction (training, exercises, training courses, etc.)

Fourth, international cooperation activities in countering the proliferation and proliferation financing of weapons of mass destruction.

At the meeting, the Commander thanked the leaders of the news agencies and press organisations and all the journalists, and expressed the hope that the news agencies, the press and all revolutionary journalists would continue to accompany, share with, support and assist the Army in general and the Chemical Corps in particular, joining forces and uniting in the goal of building and defending a prosperous and strong socialist Vietnam.

Centre 81