Madam President,
For decades, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has spoken out about the indiscriminate effects of landmines and the grave threat they continue to pose to civilians during and long after armed conflict. With this humanitarian conviction, we celebrated the adoption of the APMBC in 1997 as a historic step toward protection of civilians.
We remain deeply concerned by the persistent high levels of civilian casualties and the alarming reports of new instances of use of anti-personnel mines. This is a dangerous and unacceptable setback for the protection of civilians in armed conflict that States Parties and the international community cannot and must not accept. People continue to face the devastating and indiscriminate effects of these inhumane weapons, both in communities still contaminated by mines from past conflicts and those suffering today in current conflicts.
Nevertheless, since the Convention was adopted, we have witnessed remarkable successes of this global commitment. Post ratification a vast majority of States have taken significant steps to implement the Convention domestically, thereby preventing untold suffering. One hundred and twenty-four States Parties have reported the adoption of a national legislation, or that they consider existing national laws to be sufficient to give effect to the Convention.
National implementation is at the heart of the Convention’s success. It is through effective domestic measures that States fulfill their obligations and ensure that commitments are translated into concrete protection on the ground. States Parties have both a legal duty and political responsibility to protect civilians through consistent national action and principled adherence to international law.
In line with Action 48 of the Siem Reap-Angkor Action Plan we encourage all States Parties to take concrete steps to implement the Convention in accordance with Article 9. This includes adopting or strengthening national legislative, administrative, and practical measures to ensure full compliance. We encourage Parties to regularly assess areas requiring further national action, and to report on their implementation measures at the Annual Meetings of States Parties. Furthermore, we recall the importance of integrating the Convention’s obligations into national military doctrine, education, and operational practice, and ensuring that domestic legislation provides for effective enforcement.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has developed various tools to support States in this regard, including a Model Law and National Implementation checklist. The Model Law suggests model legislative provisions to be used by States as guidance in the drafting of legislation and the complementary National Implementation Checklist provides guidance for States on the legal, regulatory, and administrative framework necessary to ensure implementation of the Convention. We encourage all States Parties to use these tools, strengthen their national frameworks, and regularly assess areas requiring further action.
Madam President
We recognise that effective national implementation means ensuring sufficient resources, planning, and political support for all Convention commitments including for mine clearance, victim assistance, and community recovery. We invite States Parties to share good practices and lessons learned through coordination platforms and cooperation among National IHL Committees, relevant institutions, and other stakeholders, including National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, with the support of the ICRC and IFRC, play a critical role in supporting Article 6 commitments, including in victim assistance and mine risk education which must remain top priorities for all national implementation plans. Such national plans should ensure that considerations of gender, age and disability are integrated and mainstreamed and take into account the diverse needs and experiences of affected communities in all areas of implementation of the Convention, including in victim assistance and mine risk education programmes. These humanitarian priorities are a necessary reminder for continued commitment to the Convention’s objectives.
Strengthening national implementation is not only a legal duty, but also the very means of achieving the object and purpose of the Convention to free the world from anti-personnel mines. A world where children, families and communities can live with safety and dignity.
