Author(s):
Chayer Amelie <amelie@icbl.org> .
Wednesday 09 September 2009
The Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World will be a highly significant event in the history of the Mine Ban Treaty. States Parties will review the status of the treaty and set out steps that need to be taken to create a mine-free world. The Summit will provide an opportunity to revitalize and reinvigorate our work on the treaty, and to recommit ourselves to the road ahead.
In the view of the ICBL, the Cartagena Summit will be successful if it can achieve three key goals:
- clearly identify the progress made in meeting the treaty’s objectives, as well as the remaining challenges;
- reaffirm States Parties’ long-term commitment to the universalization and full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty;
- develop a strong, measurable action plan for the next five years based on lessons learned since the first Review Conference in 2004.
The ICBL encourages all States Parties to contribute to these goals in the lead-up to the meeting and in Cartagena itself.
What a State Party can do:
- Participate in the Summit’s high-level segment at the highest possible level: Head of State, State Secretary, or ministerial level. Such high level participation will show that the State Party continues to place a high priority on ridding the world of antipersonnel mines and that it will give full political support to the outcome of the Summit.
- Announce in Cartagena that it has recently completed or made significant progress on one or more of the treaty’s obligations. In this way, it will be clear that States Parties’ efforts are continuing at full pace and that the treaty is heading in the right direction.
- Arrive in Cartagena with a pledge to undertake one or more actions in the coming years to move toward fulfilling specific treaty obligations or supporting other States Parties in their efforts to do so.This will demonstrate States Parties’ long-term commitment to the treaty.
- Produce a strong action plan for the next five years.The action plan should provide clear benchmarks for States Parties as they work towards full universalization and implementation of the treaty.
