Searching, detecting and removing bombs, mines and explosives buried for many years in the soil in Minh Tan commune (Vi Xuyen district), Ta Van and Nghia Thuan communes (Quan Ba ​​district), Ha Giang province. Illustrative photo: Hoang Hieu/VNA

In his commemorative speech, Major General Tran Trung Hoa, Commander of the Engineering Corps, General Director of VNMAC stated: To carry out the management, operation, and coordination of the implementation of the tasks of the National Action Program to overcome the consequences of post-war bombs and mines for the period 2010 - 2025 (Program 504), on March 4, 2014, the Prime Minister signed and issued Decision No. 319/QD-TTg to establish the Vietnam National Mine Action Center, an organization under the direction of the Prime Minister, assigned to the Ministry of National Defense for management; the Ministry of National Defense assigned the Engineering Corps to directly manage and operate.

The functions and tasks of the Center are to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies, research, propose policies, determine goals, develop long-term and medium-term plans to overcome the consequences of bombs and mines; mobilize national funding; manage information in the field of overcoming the consequences of post-war bombs and mines in Vietnam; organize and coordinate the implementation of bomb and mine clearance projects and tasks; support bomb and mine victims; propagate and educate on preventing bomb and mine accidents and other tasks under Program 504.

In the work of investigation, technical survey, and clearance of bombs, mines, and explosives, the Center has proactively proposed and directly coordinated major projects, contributing with forces nationwide to deploy the clearance of nearly 500,000 hectares of bombs, mines, and explosives in the period 2014 - 2023; promoting the activities of the Post-War Mine Action Partnership Group to mobilize international organizations to provide resources for Vietnam to improve capacity, implement projects of investigation, survey, clearance, information management, and quality management of bombs, mines, and explosives clearance with international funding of over 100 million USD...

In a letter to officers, professional soldiers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers, workers and defense officials of the Vietnam National Mine Action Center on the occasion of its 10th anniversary, General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, praised the Center for its efforts to successfully complete its advisory and coordination tasks in implementing Program 504 with high efficiency in all fields, especially in developing and implementing plans, promoting propaganda and international cooperation in overcoming the consequences of mines and bombs in Vietnam, and supporting mine and bomb victims.

"I warmly commend and praise the achievements and continuous efforts of the Vietnam National Mine Action Center over the past 10 years. I hope that in the new revolutionary period, you will continue to promote the tradition of "Opening the way to victory" of the heroic Engineer Corps...", General Phan Van Giang emphasized.

Also at the ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Deputy Head of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Overcoming the Consequences of Post-War Bombs, Mines and Toxic Chemicals in Vietnam, acknowledged and commended the Center's achievements in 10 years of establishment and development; many collectives and individuals of the Center were awarded noble prizes by the Party, State and Army.

In order to build the Center to become increasingly mature and strong, meeting the requirements of the tasks in the new situation, Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan requested the Center to perform well a number of tasks, focusing on promoting research, analysis, and forecasting of the international and domestic situation related to overcoming the consequences of bombs and mines to improve the quality of consulting and developing plans to implement Program 504; coordinate with relevant agencies to research, propose policies, determine goals, and develop plans to overcome the consequences of bombs and mines for the period 2026 - 2045, with a vision to 2050.

Along with that, the Center needs to complete the development of the content of the Ordinance on overcoming the consequences of post-war bombs and mines in Vietnam; do a good job of propaganda, raising awareness of mine accident prevention for the people; focus on training, improving scientific capacity in information management, international cooperation, management and operation capacity, effectively coordinating projects on mine clearance, supporting mine victims; coordinate with international organizations to train on explosives handling, initial medical treatment according to international standards.