UXO LAO: BACKGROUND
The Lao Government established the Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao) with the support of UNDP, UNICEF, and other stakeholders through Prime Minister’s Decree Number 49, dated 13 February 1996.
UXO Lao is a Nationally Executed (NEX) Project under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare with UNDP providing program oversight and program assurance.
UXO Lao maintains its National Office in Vientiane. It operates in nine of the most UXO impacted provinces in the country (Huaphanh, Luangprabang, Xiengkhuang, Khammuane, Savannakhet, Saravane, Champasack, Sekong, and Attapeu.) In every province, the provincial office works closely with their respective Provincial Labour and Social Welfare Departments and coordinates with other departments such as health, education, agriculture, and forestry for work planning purposes.
UXO LAO: ORGANISATIONAL MANDATE:
- Reduce the number of casualties caused by unexploded ordnance, and
- Increase the amount of land available for food production and other socio-economic development activities.
CLUSTER MUNITION
PROBLEM IN LAO PDR
| In excess of 260 million Estimated number of sub-munitions (bombies) from cluster bombs dropped over Lao PDR between 1964 and 1973. 30% Estimated failure rate of sub-munitions under ideal conditions. 78 million Estimated number of sub-munitions that failed to explode. 387,645 or 0.49% Number or percentage of estimated unexploded sub-munitions destroyed by UXO LAO from 1996 to April 2008. |
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