 |
I. Background
The Workshop on the role of the Caribbean Community in pursuing the aims of the Ottawa Convention was held from the 29th to 30th of June 2006 in Port of Spain. The workshop was convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago with the support of the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) and with assistance provided by Canada. Presiding over the workshop were Ms. Susan Gordan, Director of the Multilateral Relations Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, and, Major Claude Bridgewater of the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Forces.
The purpose of the workshop was to make progress in overcoming specific challenges Caribbean Community States face in implementing and participating in the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. It was intended to serve as a means to identify practical, common-sense and cost-effective ways to ensure that these States can fulfil their obligations and participate in the work of the Convention to the extent that they desire.
II. Opening statements
Opening statements were delivered by Mr. Neville Bissember Jr, Assistance Legal Counsel of the CARICOM Secretariat, His Excellency Mr. Howard Strauss, High Commissioner of Canada to Trinidad and Tobago, and, Ms. Susan Gordon, Director of the Multilateral Relations Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago.
- Statement by Mr. Neville Bissember Jr. of the CARICOM Secretariat
- Statement by H.E. Howard Strauss of Canada PDF 15KB
- Statement by Ms. Susan Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago
III. An overview of implementation and participation challenges
The scene was set for the workshop by Mr. Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the AP Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit at the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. Mr. Brinkert provided an overview of the Convention’s core aims and highlighted the relevance of the Convention to the Caribbean Community.
- Presentation by Mr. Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the Implementation Support Unit, GICHD PDF 391KB
IV. Good practices in establishing national implementing legislation
The Co-Chairs recalled that in accordance with Article 9 of the Convention States Parties are required to “take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention undertaken by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control.” Mr. Anton Camen of the International Committee of the Red Cross made a presentation on this matter, highlighting the main elements of good national implementing legislation. Ms. Nalini Persad-Salick of the Ministry of the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago made a presentation on Trinidad and Tobago’s experience in establishing national implementing legislation.
- Presentation by Mr. Anton Camen, ICRC PDF 219KB
- Presentation by Ms. Nalini Persad-Salick of Trinidad and Tobago PDF 28KB
V. Practical means to comply with transparency reporting obligations
The Co-Chairs recalled that transparency and the exchange of information are significant matters that help assure progress in the achievement of the Convention’s core aims. Mr. Kerry Brinkert of the Implementation Support Unit of the GICHD made a presentation on this matter, explaining what States Parties are required to report and why transparency reporting is important and suggesting how Caribbean Community States could fulfill their reporting obligations.
- Presentation by Mr. Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the Implementation Support Unit, GICHD PDF 174KB
VI. Fulfilling obligations through quadrilateral cooperation
The Co-Chairs recalled that Article 6 of the Convention states that assistance can be provided through a variety of means, with one significant means being through regional organizations. Mine Action Specialist Juan Carlos Ruan of the OAS highlighted an important cooperation effort led by the OAS in the region – quadrilateral cooperation in the context of the effort to assist Suriname in complying with its mine clearance obligations. Ms. Nicole Hew A Kee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Suriname added to Mr. Ruan’s presentation by detailing the steps taken toward the fulfillment by Suriname of its Article 5 mine clearance obligations.
- Presentation by Mr. Juan Carlos Ruan of the Organization of American States PDF 1MB
- Presentation by Ms. Nicole Hew A Kee of Suriname PDF 10KB
VII. Towards a mine-free Caribbean
The Co-Chairs recalled that the Convention obliges each State Party to “destroy or ensure the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines it owns or possesses, or that are under its jurisdiction or control, as soon as possible but not later than four years after the entry into force of this Convention for that State Party.” Mr. Kerry Brinkert of the Implementation Support Unit of the GICHD made a presentation on this matter, noting that together 13 States Parties to the Convention in the Western Hemisphere had destroyed more than 1.3 million stockpiled mines.
- Presentation by Mr. Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the Implementation Support Unit, GICHD PDF 258KB
VIII. An overview of current issues in the life of the Convention
Mr. Kerry Brinkert of the Implementation Support Unit of the GICHD briefed workshop participants on current issues in the life of the Convention, noting in particular that the States Parties find themselves in the second five-year phase of implementation following the Convention’s entry into force on March 1, 1999 and highlighting that the Nairobi Action Plan 2005-2009 provides the States Parties with a comprehensive framework for the period 2005-2009 for achieving major progress towards ending, for all people, for all time, the suffering caused by anti-personnel mines.
- Presentation by Mr. Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the Implementation Support Unit, GICHD PDF 257KB
IX. Practical ways to overcoming implementation and participation challenges
The Co-Chairs initiated a discussion on concrete, practical and cost-effective ways that the States Parties in the Caribbean can overcome implementation and participation challenges on a sustainable basis.
IX. Lessons from the Ottawa Convention for other instruments of international humanitarian law
The Co-Chairs noted that the workshop potentially could be about more than simply what it can do to assist in overcoming challenges faced in implementing the Ottawa Convention. In particular, it was suggested that overcoming challenges in the context of the Ottawa Convention may be applicable to overcoming implementation and participation challenges with respect to other issue areas.
X. Closing remarks
The Co-Chairs closed the workshop concluding that the event indeed had succeeded in raising awareness of the matter of anti-personnel mines within the Caribbean Community and had served as a practical demonstration of how, once small States had acceded to an international instrument they were not overlooked or forgotten in the implementation process.
The Co-Chairs reiterated that while obligations like destroying stockpiled mines and clearing mined areas may have been relevant for few States Parties in the region, implementation challenges still remained and that solutions to these challenges discussed at the workshop could be of use to the States Parties to the Convention in the Caribbean.
Materials are provided as is. GICHD is not responsible for the contents or availability of material at linked web sites.
© Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) www.gichd.org