17 February 2014

On Wednesday, 19 February, the US Campaign to Ban Landmines (USCBL) and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit, are holding an expert panel discussion at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington DC, on the United States and the Mine Ban Treaty. A decision is believed to be imminent on the US landmine policy review, which began in 2009.

Speakers at the event will include ICBL Ambassador and Nobel Peace Laureate Ms. Jody Williams and Special Envoy for the Mine Ban Convention, Prince Mired Bin Raad Al-Hussein of Jordan, as well as other Mine Ban experts. Senator Patrick Leahy will provide a written statement for the event. "A decision by the Obama Administration to ban landmines now is long-overdue,” said ICBL Chair Steve Goose of Human Rights Watch in a 3 February press release from the US Campaign to Ban Landmines. US support would help to convince other countries that have not joined the treaty to reconsider their stance. It would strengthen the norm against these weapons by helping to ensure they are not used in the future."The EU sponsored event is being held in advance of the 15-year anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty’s entry into force on 1 March. The Third Review Conference of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty opens in Maputo, Mozambique in June 2014.See the full program for the event here and follow the proceedings on @minefreeworld social media channels. Read the Landmine Monitor 2013 US country profile.