EU Statement

First Preparatory Meeting for the Fifth Review Conference

Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

Geneva, 20 June 2024

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Republic of Moldova[1], the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

At the outset, we would like to seize the opportunity to command your able chairmanship and thank you for your personal engagement. The EU appreciates your efforts leading us towards the 5th Review Conference of the Convention in Siem Reap later this year.

We know the suffering of Cambodia in its history due to its massive exposure to mine contamination. We are impressed by Cambodia’s commitment to share its experience in mine action with other countries, in particular Ukraine, and we can only appreciate the crucial role Cambodia intends to play in safeguarding the norm and strengthening the Convention. The upcoming Review Conference will give us an opportunity to review progress, reaffirm commitments and promote further universalisation and strengthened implementation of the Convention.

The EU highly appreciates the preparatory work carried out by the Cambodian Presidency and the documents presented to States Parties, the draft Review of the Operation and Status of the Convention, the Concept note on the Conference Substantive Documents and Matters to consider in developing the Siem-Reap-Angkor Action Plan, as well as Feedback Tool on the Action Plan.

On 27 May 2024, the Council of the EU adopted Conclusions on an EU position on strengthening the ban against anti-personnel mines in view of the Fifth Review Conference. The Council Conclusions outline the EU’s common objectives for the outcome of the Review Conference. They were presented to the Cambodian Presidency in June and will be submitted as an input to the Conference documents.

The EU reiterates that universalisation should remain at the centre of our attention and we will continue to engage in identifying incentives for countries to join, including through funding. We will also further promote the full implementation of article 5, encourage efforts from all concerned States, including those affected by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that meet the Convention’s definition of an anti-personnel mine and fall under the obligations of the Convention.

With regard to the Review of the Operation and Status of the Convention

The EU welcomes the draft as a very good basis for our deliberations. It is an elaborated and comprehensive document addressing all aspects of the Convention implementation.

With regard to the Siem Reap-Angkor declaration

We would like the Siem Reap-Angkor declaration to reflect on a number of priorities, in particular to reaffirm our ambitions and principles, recognise the importance of partnerships with all mine action actors including civil society, the role of improvised explosive devices, recall the importance of gender mainstreaming, express our concerns regarding the number of mine casualties and stress the importance of synergies with other international conventions. The Declaration should also reaffirm our strong commitment to upholding the norm against anti-personnel mines and recall that any use anywhere, anytime by any actor remains unacceptable. There should also be mention of the political commitment to implement the Action Plan.

With regard to the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan

The new Action Plan will guide our work for the five years to come and therefore will need our careful engagement. It should address all aspects of the implementation of the Convention, build on the gaps and challenges identified through the Review of the Operation and Status of the Convention. The new Action Plan should also, among others, recognise the contribution of other conventions and programmes of action, promote a commitment by all States Parties to fully implement and complete their obligations under the Convention, encourage to develop policies to best assist mine victims in a non-discriminatory manner, take into account environmental and climate implications of all aspects of mine action, and support innovative approaches. It should also encourage the adoption of measures to strengthen the Article 5 process with a view to better meet the challenges of concerned states and effectively support them to fulfil their obligations in time.

Mr. President,

In the current global context, with most disarmament and non-proliferation instruments being challenged, preserving and strengthening the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is all the more important. You can be assured that the EU will support all your efforts in building a successful and ambitious outcome at the Review Conference.

I thank you, Mr. President.

[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.