EU Statement: Meeting of Experts of the High Contracting Parties on Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW)
Mr. Coordinator,
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
The Candidate Countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania[1], Ukraine, the possible candidate country Georgia and the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.
At the outset, I would like to congratulate Spain on assuming the Presidency over Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War and commend your efforts to advance the implementation of the goals of this instrument. We assure you of our full support and cooperation.
The European Union and its Member States remain fully committed to Protocol V, its objectives and its goal of addressing the problem of unexploded and abandoned explosive ordnance and minimising the serious post-conflict impact of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) on civilian populations. The EU would like to express strong support for all efforts to strengthen this important instrument, to promote its universalisation, and to enhance its implementation.
In this context, the EU congratulates the Philippines to conclude its ratification process and to joining the CCW Protocol V as the 97th High Contracting Party. We strongly encourage all countries that have not yet done so to join Protocol.
We cannot ignore that we convene here today amid the Russian Federation`s unjustifiable, unprovoked and illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, which has increased global insecurity. Nations from every corner of the world have united at the UN General Assembly in calling for peace, demanding that Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw from the territory of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders, demanding civilian protection and humanitarian access in Ukraine. The EU fully acknowledges Ukraine’s right to self-defence and the Ukrainian armed forces’ efforts to defend Ukraine’s territorial integrity and population in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter. The EU actively supports the work of the International Criminal Court and measures to ensure accountability for the most serious international crimes including war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of genocide. There can be no impunity for these crimes.
In this regard, the EU expresses its serious concern about the growing number of reported breaches of IHL, including attacks on civilians and civilian objects, by the Russian Federation in Ukraine. We call on the Russian Federation to respect the principles and obligations of IHL, including Protocol V. Remnants of cluster munitions, bombs, and anti-personnel mines cause massive contamination with ERW and pose a long-lasting threat to civilians and hinder humanitarian access. Russia, bears full responsibility for the loss of life, the human suffering and all the destruction it causes in Ukraine.
The EU will continue to support Ukraine through specific projects on clearing ERW, including anti-personnel mines and cluster munitions as well as in victim assistance and rehabilitation and encourage all other High Contracting Parties in a position to do so, to follow this example as required by Article 5.4 of this Protocol as well as the relevant articles of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.
The European Union reaffirms its commitments to continue providing assistance to save lives and to bring tangible benefits for communities in affected areas, creating new opportunities for growth and stability. The EU contributes towards this through its commitment to mine action, which also addresses ERW. For the EU, victim assistance remains a core component of its mine action assistance. We reaffirm that for victim assistance efforts to be sustainable in the long term, they need to be integrated into broader disability policies.
As the world’s leading humanitarian donor, the EU and its Member States continue to provide significant funding to mine action, especially in the fields of risk education, clearance, stockpile destruction, and victim assistance. A number of EU Member States funded projects, which contribute to socio-economic reintegration of victims impacted by mines and ERW, and enhance local and regional capacities. The EU funding is often the only source of financing and support. For example, between 2019 and 2021, the EU allocated 145 million Euro to support mine action. Another 90 million Euro has been allocated for 2022 and 2023.
In conclusion, the EU is also fully committed to mainstreaming a gender perspective into all non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control work in line with Resolution 1325 of the Security Council of the United Nations, including through promoting women’s participation and providing integrated support, where appropriate.
Thank you, Mr. Coordinator
[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.