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Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) continues to claim lives and hinder economic opportunities worldwide. Every year, UXO kills and injures thousands of civilians across the world, restricting access to livelihoods and essential basic services. In the past year alone, five decades after the end of the second Indochina War, UXO accidents in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) resulted in the tragic loss of 9 lives and left 40 individuals injured. Just in the first 2 months of 2025, 3 persons were killed and 6 injured. Tragically, more than 60% of the UXO casualties are children. The legacy of war, with millions of cluster munitions left behind, remains a significant barrier to safe and sustainable development.
April 4 marks the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, a day established 20 years ago by the United Nations General Assembly to highlight the urgent need for global action. In Lao PDR, the most UXO-affected country per capita, the call "Safe futures start here”, the theme of this year’s celebration, is especially urgent.
To commemorate the occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the National Regulatory Authority (NRA), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with support from the Republic of Korea through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), organized a press conference on April 1, 2025, in Vientiane. The event brought together 100 participants, including government officials, development partners, UXO operators, and students from the University of Laos. The press conference also featured the premiere of two UNDP-produced films, showcasing the impact of clearance efforts on development and sustainability through the work of Lao National Unexploded Ordnance Programme (UXO Lao) and the Humanitarian Demining teams of the Lao People’s Army.
During the press conference, H.E. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairperson of the NRA board, emphasized the need for international support, “We are in need of the highest degree of attention from the international community to reverse the course, and we continue to count on your support and partnership to provide the resources and expertise necessary to efficiently and effectively address the complex and prolonged challenge of UXO contamination in the Lao PDR. Importantly, this is to ensure that we are not left behind or derailed from our sustainable development path and objectives”.
To further emphasize the significance of the day, a digital projection commemorating the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, featuring the 2025 theme "Safe Futures Start Here," was displayed on the Patuxay Monument on the 2nd April, symbolizing Lao PDR’s commitment to addressing UXO contamination.
Ms. Martine Thérer, UNDP Resident Representative, reaffirmed UNDP’s long-standing commitment to supporting Lao PDR’s UXO sector, stating, “While we commend the tireless efforts of the Lao government, we must also recognize that solidarity and international support are essential to provide the resources and expertise necessary to tackle this complex and daunting challenge. Through continued collaboration, we can accelerate progress in reducing the threat posed by UXOs, assisting survivors, and fostering the sustainable development of affected communities.”
Lao PDR has identified[1] 2,367 square kilometers of land as Confirmed Hazardous Areas through Technical Surveys and cleared 949 square kilometers across 17 provinces. Over 2 million UXO items have been destroyed, including over 1.2 million submunitions (known as bombies). Each year, on average, 410,000 individuals have been able to safely access and use their land for farming and income-generating activities. Explosive Ordnance Risk Education reached 4,300 villages, benefitting over 200,000 individuals annually, with women comprising 50% of participants. As a result of these collective efforts, annual UXO-related accidents have dropped from over 300 in the mid-2000s to 49 by the end of 2024. Every cleared field, every trained community, and every survivor supported moves Lao PDR closer to a safe future free from UXO threats.
In addition, through KOICA contribution since 2014, the Lao government to establish a sustainable UXO sector by strengthening the NRA’s operational and coordination capacities, resulting in improved sector wide planning, and oversight of UXO activities across Lao PDR. This support has also been instrumental in establishing the national clearance capacity by expanding the Humanitarian UXO Demining teams of the Lao People’s Army (known as Unit 58) from two teams to 22 teams. These teams now conduct survey, clearance and risk education in two provinces, as well as nationwide roving tasks.
UXO/Mine clearance is more than removing explosive remnants of war, it is a driver of development, accelerating progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Lao PDR is among the few countries in the world with a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal 18, recognizing that UXO contamination is a direct barrier to national growth. In 2025, the Government of Lao PDR plans to clear 6,500 hectares of land[2], prioritizing land areas essential for agriculture and development. Safe land means food security. Economic opportunities expand when land is free from UXO threats.
The Government of Lao PDR and its partners urge the international community to sustain and strengthen support for UXO clearance and risk education. More resources, expertise, and innovation are needed to reach national UXO targets under the National Strategic Plan for UXO/Mine Action: Safe Path Forward III and ensure that UXO is no longer a barrier to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
[1] According to the NRA Operational Dashboard as of 13th March 2025,
[2] Based on draft of 10th National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP)
