The Fifth Meeting of States Parties endorsed Kenya’s proposal to host the Summit. Since Africa is the most heavily mined continent in the world, it was indeed appropriate that this event be held in Nairobi.
African nations have played a key role in negotiating, joining, and implementing the Convention:
· South African JS Selebi skillfully chaired the treaty negotiations in Oslo, Norway in September 1997.
· Burkina Faso was the 40th nation to ratify the Mine Ban Treaty 16 September 1998, triggering its entry into force 6 months later, 1 March 1999, ensuring that this treaty became binding international law faster than any other major treaty in history.
· The First Meeting of States Parties was held in Maputo, Mozambique in May 1999.
· Political will was there: every one of the 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa is a State Party or signatory to the Mine Ban Treaty, except Somalia, which does not have a functioning government. Ethiopia was the only remaining signatory in the region.
· Needs were great: There are 23 mine-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including heavily affected countries such as Angola, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Sudan. In 2002 and 2003, new landmine casualties were reported in 20 of the 23 mine-affected countries.
· In many of the mine-affected countries in the region, medical facilities and rehabilitation services are in poor condition, mostly due to a lack of financial resources. Armed conflict, whether ongoing or in the past, had also taken a heavy toll on the health infrastructure in several countries. In many African countries the assistance available for landmine survivors’ rehabilitation and reintegration into society is hopelessly inadequate.
· It was hoped that the conference would shine the spotlight on the landmine problem in Africa and the need to ensure the full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.
