Author(s):
Chayer Amelie <amelie@icbl.org> .
Tuesday 30 November 2010
Survivors and youth delegates address the closing of the 1MSP. Photo: Mary Wareham
A total of 121 states, including 34 non-signatories, participated in the First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) to the Convention on Cluster Munitions held in Lao PDR from 9-12 November 2010, alongside representatives of UN agencies, the ICRC, and civil society gathered under the umbrella of the Cluster Munition Coalition. The meeting concluded successfully by agreeing on a political declaration and a 66-point action plan to turn treaty obligations into concrete actions.
The Vientiane Action Plan commits to “implement fully all of the obligations under the Convention.” It establishes rapid timetables for interim steps to make it happen:
Stockpile destruction: The treaty obliges States Parties to destroy stockpiles within eight years. Now, they have one year to set a timeline and a budget to begin the destruction.
Clearance and risk education: The treaty obliges States Parties to clear contaminated areas within 10 years. Now, they have one year to identify all contaminated areas, develop a plan and begin clearance. Risk education is also prioritised.
Victim assistance: The treaty obliges States Parties to provide an unprecedented level of assistance to cluster munition victims. Now, contaminated states have agreed to designate a focal point for victim assistance within six months.
International assistance: The treaty obliges states in a position to do so to provide assistance to affected countries to clear contaminated areas and assist victims. Affected countries have now agreed to do more on clearance and victim assistance in 2011 and donor countries have also agreed to respond to requests from affected states already in 2011.
Reporting: States have committed to report on all aspects of implementation, including on the convention's comprehensive victim assistance provisions.
To date 108 states have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions and 46 have ratified. The high level of participation at the 1MSP by states that have not yet joined the convention shows that the ban norm is growing.