Madam Chair,

1. At the outset, my delegation wishes to thank the Secretary-General for his report on Assistance in Mine Action. The Lao PDR is appreciative of the continued assistance and efforts extended by all UN agencies and international organizations for strengthening the national capacity in mine action, which has made a significant contribution to the mitigation of humanitarian impact caused by explosive remnants of war (ERW). Despite tremendous effort made, much more is needed to be done. Unexploded ordnance and all ERW have continue to cause deadly impact on the innocent people, long after the conflicts had ended.
2. The Lao PDR is known as one of the most heavily bombed nations on earth. Remnants of cluster munitions dropped on our soil more than 4 decades ago, today still pose major threats to civilians including women and children with accidents occurring in every year. Over the past decade, these unexploded ordnances have tragically claimed and injured 25 to 60 lives per year, and sadly most of the victims have been children and local farmers living in the rural areas. Therefore, our mission to clear these UXOs is not just an economic necessity, but also a moral obligation.
3. With an estimated of 80 million sub-munitions remain unexploded, UXO contamination still covers one third of the country’s land territory. To address this challenging legacy of war, the Lao PDR has continued to do its utmost to ensure safety for our citizens and improve social and economic wellbeing of the people impeded by explosive remnants of war. Toward this end, recent clearance of UXO has enabled development projects to take place, including building transport infrastructure such as the country’s first high-speed railway as the country aims to transform itself from being landlocked into land-linked nation.
4. In this regard, mine action activities remain essential and the county has made all efforts to mobilize available resources for addressing this specific constraint and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Taking into account its specific development need, to remove the UXO barrier to our national development, the Lao PDR has adopted SDG 18 entitled "Lives Safe from UXO," as its national SDG. The key target under this national goal is to reduce the number of casualties to the lowest extent possible by 2030 and ensure that the needs of all survivors are met and to release safe land for our farmers.

Madam Chair,

5. Take this opportunity, my delegation wishes to highlight some of the synergistic efforts to enhance partnership and progress made in mine action in the Lao PDR. Our journey to tackle UXO problems has been strengthened by the generous support through multilateral projects and bilaterally namely Australia, Canada, EU, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, the UK and the U.S, among others.
6. In addition, the Lao government has been working closely with INGOs namely HALO Trust, HI (Humanity & Inclusion), JMAS, MAG, NPA, and World Education in conducting UXO clearance and providing assistance to the victims and their families across the affected provinces in the country.
7. On this note, my delegation would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all countries and organizations for the continued support extended to the Lao PDR.
8. In conclusion, my delegation believes that enhanced assistance in mine action remains essential for achieving the 2030 Agenda and ensure safety and wellbeing of the local communities. We continue our call for strengthening international cooperation and assistance to help the most affected countries and people. Only through global efforts and solidarity, we will be able to mobilize sufficient resources and assistance to help the people living in poverty and in fear of explosive remnants of war.

Thank you, Madam Chair