Scene of the handover ceremony. Photo: Quang Dung/VOV5

The soil inside Bien Hoa Airbase and an outside part has been certified as safe and serve socio-economic development, national defense and security. The project has to date remediated nearly half of the dioxin-contaminated soil inside and outside Bien Hoa airbase.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien said the project demonstrates effective cooperation between Vietnam and the United States, while delivering the commitments by the two countries' senior leaders in the 2023 Joint Statement on upgrading bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Sustainable Development.

“The specific results of cooperation have underscored both sides’ shared determination to jointly overcome the consequences of war in line with putting the past aside and looking towards the future. Today’s event is even more significant as it coincides with Vietnam and the United States celebrating the 30th anniversary of normalization of diplomatic relations.”

US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper said “This is just so meaningful because of-course our war legacy cooperation has been foundational to our two countries’ friendship and partnership. It helps to build trust and promote reconciliation. And today’s event, all three, are a sign of not just the US’s commitment to continue the work to address war legacy issues, but also it’s a symbol of the two countries’ friendship and partnership, and how we have worked so hard over many many years to get to this point today.”

Ambassador Knapper and Major General Nguyen Dinh Hien, Commander of the Chemical Corps and General Director of the National Action Center for Chemical and Environmental Remediation (NACCET) signed an agreement to provide an additional 32 million USD in non-refundable ODA capital from the United States improve the quality of life of people with disabilities in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange/dioxin.