(KPL) Lao National Regulatory Authority for UXO/Mine Action Sectors in Lao PDR (NRA) in collaboration with the United Nations for Development Programme (UNDP) organized on 29 April a meeting to review its plan on UXO.
The meeting jointly chaired by Mr. Phoukieu Chanthasomboun, Head Office of NRA and Mr. Minh Pham , representative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to Laos.
The meeting reviewed the plan of NRA made in the year of 2010 and introduced the action plan and budget plan of NRA for 2011.
The plan targets cutting the number of UXO casualties from 300 to 75 people a year by 2020.
According to the NRA, casualties have decreased from about 300 a year in the past decade to 117 a year in 2010.
A major part of the plan will be to alter people’s behaviour through educating at-risk groups in classroom based initiatives.
The plan also requires that village volunteers act as peer educators among other villagers and at-risk groups.
The plan also seeks to ensure that the medical and rehabilitation needs of all UXO survivors are met in line with treaty obligations. To do this, emergency medical response should be provided at the village level and an effective rural transfer or ambulance system should be developed.
Under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, signatories agree to prohibit all use, stockpiling, production and transfer of cluster munitions.
The convention outlines an eight-year timeframe for signatory nations to destroy any stockpiles of cluster munitions they have, with a possible four-year extension under certain circumstances.
The convention also includes a 10-year timeframe to clear all UXO-contaminated areas.
Source: KPL Lao News Agency
May 05, 2011
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