US President Donald Trump abolished the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and froze foreign aid, projects in Vietnam, including support for victims of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War and the clearance of unexploded bombs and mines, have also been stopped.
In response to this, victims in Vietnam have both protested and the Vietnamese government has called for the project to continue.
According to the New York Times (NYT) and local news agency VN Express reported on January 18, 2025 (local time), due to the recent suspension of USAID funding to Vietnam, projects to support Vietnamese war victims such as supporting victims of Agent Orange and clearing unexploded bombs and mines have had to stop.
According to the US State Department, since 1991, the United States has provided $155 million, about 223.5 billion won, to support people with disabilities in Vietnam affected by Agent Orange and unexploded ordnance.
In Quang Tri Province - "The fierce battlefield in the Vietnam War", thousands of workers have been left unemployed as the work of clearing explosive ordnance has stopped.
Quang Tri Province is the locality most heavily affected by explosive ordnance, including cluster bombs from the Vietnam War. According to the Quang Tri Province Bomb and Mine Clearance Center, the area of land contaminated with explosive ordnance is about 620㎢.
The Quang Tri Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that the project to clear explosive ordnance and unexploded ordnance is necessary to ensure community safety and national development, and will work with international organizations to urge the US government to resume funding.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diem, a second-generation Agent Orange survivor, was born with a curved spine and other physical problems, but she found a job in 2022 thanks to a graphic design training program provided by USAID.
Diem had expected to receive support such as small loans under the victim assistance program when the company where she worked closed a few months ago, but she was shocked to hear that USAID had suspended it and felt it was not good enough.
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diem told the Times, "The Agent Orange from the United States that was used in Vietnam has made us victims." Diem added, "A little support for people like us means a lot, but at the same time, it is also America's responsibility."
It is estimated that up to 3 million Vietnamese people were affected by Agent Orange sprayed by the US military during the War, and more than 150,000 of these children were born with serious disabilities.
Regarding the US government's decision to cut aid, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said that in recent years, Vietnam and the US have effectively cooperated in areas such as overcoming the consequences of war through many cooperation mechanisms, including USAID.
Ms. Hang continued to say that while US aid has brought benefits to Vietnam and brought a better life to local communities, Ms. Hang is concerned that if USAID's support projects, especially those related to the clearance of bombs, mines and explosives, are stopped, this could greatly affect the safety of local people and the surrounding environment.
Accordingly, Ms. Hang added. Vietnam is closely watching the US decision on USAID.