According to the action plan released on September 20 at the seventh meeting of the Joint Advisory Committee on Agent Orange/Dioxin, Danang Airport will be the first location for US dioxin decontamination projects. The US Agency for International Development will also help AO victims and people with disability.

Dr Le Khac Ke, Chief of Office of the National Steering Committee for Overcoming Consequences of Toxic Chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam, said the Vietnam-US Dialogue Group, which includes scientists and policy makers, aims to mobilise resources to limit the consequences of AO/dioxin in Vietnam.

The group has raised US$91 million to clean up dioxin-contaminated hotspots in Danang, Bien Hoa and Phu Cat, benefiting as many as 20,000 people with related disabilities, he said.

Ke said the group has gained positive results, citing that US President Barack Obama decided to spend US$20 million dealing with the problem in Vietnam in his budget plan for 2012.

He said the Vietnamese government has also committed VND28 billion (US$1.3 million) to help people with AO-related disabilities, while non-government organisations have contributed almost US$25,000 to the project.

Source: vovnews.vn