Peace Village: South Korea-supported model protects Vietnamese from multiple risks

The Korea-Vietnam Peace Village Project (KVPVP) becomes helpful for people in Vietnam’s localities affected by explosive remnants of war as it will protect them from multiple risks and improve their livelihood.

Representatives of KOICA, UNDP, and related parties at the signing ceremony on Mar 17. Photos: UNDP

More than 10,000 people in Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, and Thua Thien-Hue, three among the most affected areas by unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Vietnam, will be beneficiaries of the renewed cooperation in mine action and rural development signed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the central provinces on March 17.

Local people will be protected from multiple risks of UXO, climate, health, and ensure their safe livelihood with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The KVPVP is the intensified support by the Government of South Korea and UNDP after the first phase conducted over the past four years. The KVPVP will be executed from 2022 to 2026 with a total cost of US$33 million including $25 million non-refundable aid from KOICA and the reciprocal capital (available assets) from the Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC).

UNDP will cooperate with the Vietnam National Mine Action Center (VNMAC) and these provinces to deliver the project’s expected results, including survey and clearance of 15,000 hectares; provision of more specialized medical services for the UXO victims based on the data from the victims’ registration system developed in the first phase; education of risks from UXO and climate disasters/ issues for people in targeted areas.

The project is expected to support the beneficiary farmers in targeted areas to apply smart-climate and resilient agriculture. Meanwhile, 400 flood and storm resilient houses, and 50 commune health stations will be built or upgraded.

UNDP Resident Representative in Vietnam Caitlin Wiesen (3rd from left), KOICA Country Director Cho Han-Deog (2nd right) and beneficiaries of KVMAP project.

The KVPVP is built on the Korea-Vietnam Mine Action project (KVMAP) – a fruitful partnership of VNMAC, KOICA and UNDP over the past 4 years – which has surveyed and cleared nearly 17,000 hectares of land, paving the way for building sustainable livelihoods for people in Quang Binh and Binh Dinh provinces, as well as helped improve the resilience of 450,000 people through risk education and provided support for 1,000 UXO victims.

“KOICA is pleased to implement this meaningful project in Vietnam where there are still many areas heavily contaminated with UXO after the war,” said Cho Han-Deog, KOICA Country Director. “I hope the project can contribute not only to the social economic development in Vietnam but also to peace and safe life for residents,” he added.

Addressing the signing ceremony, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Vietnam Patrick Haverman considered the signing of the joint agreement between KOICA and the three central provinces as “the first important milestone of the Korea- Vietnam Peace Village Project.”

“UNDP will provide overall management, technical support and quality assurance of the Project,” said Haverman. “We look forward to working with the three provinces to deliver the project for further mine action while enabling safer, greener, and more resilient local development.”

Lam Hai Giang, Deputy Chairman of the Binh Dinh People’s Committee, said the KVPVP components in Binh Dinh are in line with the local government’s strategy that works towards sustainable development with a focus on poverty reduction and improving livelihood in rural areas.

Joy on faces of children in KVMAP project.