Standing Committees meet in February

Author/Origin: ICBL brigotSPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org

(Tuesday 27 January 2004 Geneva Switzerland)

Meetings in February of the Standing Committees of the Mine Ban Treaty will kick off a busy year for the mine ban community.

The Standing Committees focus on the core humanitarian aims of the Mine Ban Treaty, including assistance for landmine survivors and mine clearance. They will be convened from 9 to 12 February 2004 in Geneva, followed by a meeting on Friday 13 February about the upcoming 2004 Nairobi Summit on a Mine Free World – the treaty’s first Review Conference.

The Standing Committees are for treaty States Parties, although non-States Parties are encouraged to attend and there is always a significant delegation from NGOs and international organisations.

The intersessional meetings take place in between the official annual Meetings of States Parties and tend to be relatively informal working meetings. The next Standing Committees will be convened again in mid-June.

Road to Nairobi

This is a landmark year for the Mine Ban Treaty established in 1997: the first review conference takes place at the end of the year and will be preceded by high-profile preparatory events.

The 2004 Nairobi Summit on a Mine Free World, will be held in the Kenyan capital on 29 November to 3 December 2004. World leaders, including heads of state, foreign ministers and Nobel laureates are expected to participate. More on the Nairobi Summit: http://www.icbl.org/reviewconference/

Find out more

• Campaigners: please talk with your government about the ICBL’s priorities and messages for the intersessional week. See this memo: http://www.icbl.org/news/2004/439.php
• Agenda, invitation letter and other official info on the intersessionals: http://www.gichd.ch/mbc/iwp/SC_feb04/index.htm.
• Background information on the intersessionals:http://www.icbl.org/sc/.
• Daily updates from the intersessionals will be posted here: http://www.icbl.org.
• Landmine Monitor Factsheets presented to the meeting: www.icbl.org/lm/factsheets.