William Hunter (left) and Director General of the National Regulatory Authority, Mr Bounpheng Sisawath, sign a Memorandum of Understanding in Vientiane on Tuesday.

Ireland provides €500,000 for UXO clearance in Savannakhet

Ireland, through its Embassy in Hanoi, has announced funding of €500,000 to support the HALO Trust’s demining and bomb disposal work in Laos over the next 12 months. The announcement was made during a meeting in Vientiane on March 3.
The renewed funding will allow for the clearance of at least 550,000 square metres of high-priority unexploded ordnance (UXO) contaminated land in and around some of the most bombing-affected villages in Xepon and Vilabouly districts of Savannakhet province.
Additionally, it will provide for 350 risk education sessions throughout Savannakhet province to inform local populations about the dangers of unexploded ordnance and how best to prevent accidents.
More than 50 years since the end of the war, Lao farmers and children are still being killed or injured by unexploded bombs. Extensive UXO contamination continues to pose a risk to the livelihoods, socio-economic development, and quality of life of those living in affected communities.

HALO Trust staff search for unexploded ordnance in Savannakhet province.

Ambassador of Ireland to Laos, Ms Deirdre Ní Fhallúin, said: ‘The removal of explosives and clearance of land for agricultural use is vital in ensuring that families in rural areas can improve their food security and enjoy sustainable livelihoods.”
“By partnering with the HALO Trust, we are supporting a workforce where women are at the frontline of technical clearance. These women are not only making their communities safe; they are challenging traditional roles and becoming economic leaders in their own right.”
HALO Laos Programme Manager William Hunter said: “We are grateful for the Government of Ireland’s continued partnership with the HALO Laos programme, which funds UXO clearance in villages in Savannakhet that are among the most challenging to access and work in, but also some of the most affected by UXO contamination.”
This work with HALO builds on Ireland’s longstanding support to the humanitarian demining sector, in partnership with UNDP and the Lao government. Ireland’s funding also supports the National Regulatory Authority in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 18: “Lives Safe from UXO”. Ireland has provided over €13 million in the past 20 years for this important work.
Since 2023, the Embassy of Ireland has provided €1,800,000, including the €500,000 announced on March 3, to the HALO Trust for UXO clearance and education sessions on UXO risks to targeted communities in Vilabouly and Sepon districts.
Savannakhet province has the highest rate of UXO contamination and the largest number of casualties due to UXO-related accidents - 25 percent of all UXO accidents in Laos.
The funding from Ireland to HALO will support the clearance of land contaminated with cluster munitions and other forms of ordnance, and the provision of mine risk education to targeted communities in Savannakhet province.
Ireland hosted the Dublin Diplomatic Conference in May 2008 where the Convention on Cluster Munitions was adopted by 107 nations. In 2020, Laos hosted the first Meeting of State Parties, and in September this year will host the Third Review Conference.
Ireland has been a development partner for Laos since 2006, with other programmes focusing on food security, education, and nutrition.
Under the Embassy of Ireland’s Mission Strategy for 2023-2027, Ireland has scaled up its development cooperation programmes in Laos, with a view to deepening Ireland’s impact across the country and supporting additional key areas such as climate action and governance.

By Advertorial Desk
(Latest Update March 6, 2026 )