VietNamNet Bridge – The Vietnam-US Dialogue Group for Agent Orange/Dioxin has compiled a ten-year plan to solve problems related to Agent Orange/Dioxin, with estimated expense of $300 million.

The sum, according to the group, should be mainly provided by the US government. They will call for assistance from public and private donors to cover the remaining part.

Ngo Quang Xuan, Vice Chair of the National Assembly’s Committee for Foreign Affairs, and Co-Chair of the Vietnam-US Dialogue Group for Agent Orange/Dioxin, has sent an open letter to Vietnam’s international donors and partners to call for financial assistance for this ten-year plan.

Xuan said that the plan, with annual estimated budget of $30 million, will help detoxicate 28 places and remarkably expand humane services for AO/dioxin victims in Vietnam.

In the 2007, 2009 and 2010 fiscal years, the US government ratified a total amount of $9 million for programs to detoxicate AO/dioxin in Vietnam.

Since 2008, the US has allocated more than $3 million for healthcare program for the disabled in the central city of Da Nang, Vietnam and over $6 million for detoxicating the environment at the Da Nang Airport.

According to Xuan, the US has positively cooperated with Vietnam to deal with the sequels of AO/dioxin but its funding for these activities is not enough.

To call for international assistance for AO/dioxin victims, a delegation of the Vietnam Association of AO/Dioxin Victims paid a visit to the US from November 9 to December 7.

X.Linh