Program and Event

U.S. Hands over 50 UXO Detectors and 87k in cash to UXO Lao

Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Mary Grace McGeehan turns over 50 Vallon UXO Detectors to UXO Lao Director Bounpone Sayasenh as Vice Minister
of Labor and Social Welfare Le Kakanya (center) and UNDP Representative Sonam Rana (second from left) look on.

On July 10, Chargé d'Affaires Mary Grace McGeehan participated in a ceremony at the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare to officially turn over 50 new Vallon unexploded ordnance (UXO) detectors and $87,000 for program support to UXO Lao, represented by National Programme Director Bounpone Sayasenh. Vice Minister Le Kakanya represented the Ministry, and the UN was represented by UNDP Resident Representative Sonam Yangchan Rana. The new Vallon detectors will replace older mine detectors which were not well suited to UXO clearance in Laos. UXO Lao has embraced a “UXO-free” clearance strategy, replacing its old “metal-free” approach. The new UXO detectors will be calibrated to detect metal objects the size of half a BLU-26 cluster bomb and will not detect smaller metal objects. This strategy will increase the rate at which UXO Lao can clear land and return it to productive use while minimizing risk. The $87,000 is dedicated for the purchase of much needed spare parts for the UXO Lao vehicle fleet.

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