The central province of Quảng Trị was aiming to become one of the first localities in Việt Nam to completely clear from bombs and mines left over from the wars by 2025, said Hoàng Nam, vice chairman of the provincial People’s Committee.

To reach the target, there needed to be close collaboration to step up clearance efforts, he said on Friday at a conference to review work carried out from 2016-20.

The locality plans to call for help from central and local governments and international organisations to tackle the consequences of bombs and mines in order to reduce poverty and boost socio-economic development.

From 2016-20, the province put into operation an action centre and database.

There are now 733 employees in the province working for international non-governmental organisations who have been trained and received certificates for bomb and mine clearance.

International non-governmental organisations have offered VNĐ7.6 billion (US$323,400) for clearance efforts.

Since 2016, the organisations have cleared 5,507ha of bombs and mines and supported more than 600 victims and families of accidents.

Quảng Tri was hit hardest by American bombs. An area of 3,866 sq.km, or 83 per cent of its land, was peppered by bombs.

The high percentage of explosives also accounts for the large number of people who have been injured due to exploding mines. Some 80 per cent of people with disabilities in the country live in this province.