Laos’s Ministry of Defense and the Russian Embassy in Laos launched a humanitarian project to clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Houaphanh Province on 10 November.
This 2024-2025 initiative was inaugurated at a ceremony co-chaired by Pasith Thiengtham, Laos’s Deputy Minister of Defense, and Vladimir Kalinin, the Russian Ambassador to Laos.
The collaboration will focus on UXO clearance in two Houaphanh districts, Viengxay and Sam Nuea, which have been marked as high-priority areas for development and safety due to heavy bombing during the civil war.
In Viengxay, the project will clear 21.52 hectares across five designated areas, including land near schools, administrative offices, and sports facilities. Meanwhile, the operations will target five sites totaling 51 hectares, including agricultural lands, government sites, and a landfill area in Sam Nuea District.
Laos and Russia have completed initial preparations, clearing forested areas and marking zones in Viengxay ahead of the official clearance start date on 11 November.
This joint effort highlights Laos and Russia’s commitment to removing wartime ordnance and enabling sustainable development in impacted communities.
