SEVENTH MEETING OF STATES PARTIES TO OTTAWA CONVENTION TO MEET IN GENEVA FROM 18 TO 22 SEPTEMBER

More than 700 delegates representing over 100 States and dozens of organizations will gather in Geneva from 18 to 22 September for the Seventh Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention).

The meeting will see States developing solutions to key challenges faced in implementing the Convention, including challenges related to meeting expectations in clearing mined land, destroying stockpiled mines and ensuring sustained support for landmine survivors.

Delegates will consider the detailed Geneva Progress Report, which reviews progress made in the pursuit of the aims of the Nairobi Action Plan, which was adopted at a high political level by the international community on 3 December 2004 as a five-year road-map to implement the Convention.

In addition, the meeting will feature debates on a proposed process to consider requests for extensions on the Convention’s obligation to clear mined areas in a 10 year period.

The meeting will be preceded by an opening ceremony which will feature addresses by Micheline Calmy-Rey, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland and the Honourable Teresa Gambaro, Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Special Representative on Mine Action.

Journalists are invited to a press conference featuring Ms. Calmy-Rey and Ms. Gambaro which will take place at 09:30 on Monday 18 September in Press Room III.

About the Ottawa Convention:

The Convention was adopted in Oslo on 18 September 1997 and opened for signature in Ottawa 3-4 December 1997 at a ceremony that featured the participation of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

For their determination in calling for the Convention, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and its coordinator Jody Williams were awarded the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.

The purpose of the Convention is “to put an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel (AP) mines.” It seeks to fulfill this purpose through the pursuit of four core aims:

§ Universal acceptance of a ban on AP mines.
§ The destruction of stockpiled AP mines.
§ The clearance of mined areas.
§ Providing assistance to mine victims.

The Convention entered into force on 1 March 1999. The Convention’s first five-year review was held in Nairobi 29 November – 3 December 2004, at which time the Nairobi Action Plan was adopted at a high political level. A total of 151 States have ratified or acceded to the Convention.

For more information:
Kerry Brinkert
Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit
079-687-2257