ICBL Urges Mongolia to Expedite Accession

ICBL Diplomatic Advisor Satnam Singh and ICBL campaigner Burmaa Radnaa, with Mr Sukhbaatar Batbold, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia. Photo: Women for Social Progress

Mongolia publicly declared, in October 2004, its intention to sign the Mine Ban Treaty before the end of 2008, following a "step-by-step" approach. A promising start was made with Mongolia releasing information about the nature of the country’s landmine stockpile, but progress then slowed down and the deadline was missed.
From 29 June to 3 July 2009, Ambassador Satnam Jit Singh, ICBL Diplomatic Advisor, visited Mongolia for the second time to sensitize Mongolian officials to the desirability of acceding to the treaty prior to the Cartagena Summit (Nov. 2009). Meetings were held with ministers for Defense and Foreign Affairs, presidential advisors for National Security and Foreign Affairs, Head of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense and Foreign Affairs, First Deputy Chief of General Staff as well as Head of the Strategic Planning Department at the Ministry of Defense.

In speaking to key officials, Ambassador Singh focused on the relative ease with which Mongolia would be able to comply with the treaty by destroying the country’s relatively small and obsolete stockpile of antipersonnel mines, with technical and financial assistance to be provided by the international community following Mongolia’s accession. He also stressed Mongolia’s credentials as a liberal democracy and the country’s responsibility to contribute to the solution of the pressing humanitarian problem of landmines by joining.
Key Mongolian political leaders and officials reiterated their support on the issue and promised to increase their efforts towards the country’s early accession.

A stockpile destruction event during the GICHD visit to Mongolia. Photo: Erik Tollefsen, GICHD

The visit followed a Canadian mission led by Retired Colonel John MacBride in April 2009, in which the next “step” of Mongolia’s accession was agreed. Accordingly, a technical expert from the Geneva International Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), Mr Erik Tollefsen, completed a stockpile destruction assessment mission later during the summer. The GICHD reported that at a farewell dinner hosted by the Canadian Embassy in Ulaanbaatar, it was announced that a multisectoral body was to be established to look at the possibility of Mongolia acceding to the Mine Ban Treaty in November 2009.

During his visit, Ambassador Singh also briefed local journalists about Mongolia’s expected contribution in universalizing the treaty. Women for Social Progress, ICBL member in Mongolia led by highly influential Burmaa Radnaa, extended full support to Ambassador Singh’s visit.
Danya Sterling, Women for Social Progress