Summary

The meeting was opened by the President of the Twenty-First Meeting of the States Parties (21MSP), H.E. Thomas Göbel, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Germany to the Conference on Disarmament.

A ceremonial opening featured addresses and messages delivered by or on behalf of organisations that historically played a role in the Convention:

• H.E. Katja Keul, Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office,
• Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General, UN High Representative for Disarmament,
• Ms. Emilie Vath, Ambassador, Humanity and Inclusion on behalf of mine victims and survivors,
• H.E. Marc Pecsteen de Buytswerve, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Belgium to the United Nations on behalf of HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium, Convention’s Special Envoy,
• Mr. Gilles Carbonnier, Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross,
• Ms. Nimaya Dahanayake, a Youth fellow from Sri Lanka on behalf of the ICBL, and 
• Dr. Barbara Haering, President of the GICHD Council of Foundation.

The opening ceremony also featured a musical performance by the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra (Nürnberger Symphoniker).

The States Parties adopted the agenda for the 21MSP.

In keeping with past practice, the eight outgoing members of the Committees were elected as Vice-Presidents of the 21MSP, namely: France, Iraq, Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye and Uganda.

H.E. Julien Thöni, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament was confirmed as Secretary-General of the 21MSP.

The States Parties adopted the programme of work for the 21MSP.

Background | Concept Note

The panel discussed the context in which the Individualised Approaches and the National Mine Action Platforms can be used successfully by mine-affected states and donors to build more effective international cooperation. The panel discussion aimed to determine where the main challenges lay, and which areas need to be considered to strengthen cooperation mechanisms.

The presentations and discussion were articulated around the following questions:

• What are Individualised Approaches and National Mine Action Platforms? And what is their role in building partnerships?
• What challenges do affected-States face, what are the ebbs and flows of partnerships and international support, and how could the Individualised Approach and National Mine Action Platforms help?
• What are the necessary conditions – on the side of mine-affected State Parties and on the side of donor states – for partnerships to be successful?
• What challenges do states have in establishing National Mine Action Platforms? Are there any best practices?
• What should the Convention community do towards the Fifth Review Conference to ensure the strengthening of cooperation mechanisms beyond nice words on paper?

The panel was moderated by the 21MSP President and featured presentations by Thailand which offered an overview of the need for an Individualised Approach and National Mine Action Platforms as means to respond to the diverse and unique challenges faced by States Parties in their implementation efforts and Norway which offered insights into their funding rationale and reflected on challenges for donor states.

The following delegations took the floor and provided comments: Mine Action Review, Germany, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The panel discussion was the start of a reflection on how to improve the Individualised approach and the national platforms in the lead up to the Fifth Review Conference so that these tools can be used to the full and contribute to strengthening support for States in need.

In conclusion, Thailand highlighted the importance of recognising that some countries cannot solve the problem on their own but need cooperation, citing Thailand as an example of a country which has resources and technical know-how but needs cooperation with its neighbour to address the remaining mined areas.

Norway concluded by mentioning the importance of the national ownership in mine-affected states but also the good cooperation with the donors, stakeholders, and operators as well as the efforts made to identify where the needs are.

In concluding, the moderator highlighted the complex nature of ingredients needed for good cooperation and assistance, such as, amongst others, the need for less earmarked contributions and a comprehensive funding overview which would complement essential elements such as national ownership and better coordination amongst those cooperating. The moderator also recalled the many forms of cooperation states can benefit from (financial, expertise, capacity, etc.)

The following delegations delivered general statements:

States Parties: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Burkina Faso, Canada (2x), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Holy See, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritania, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria on behalf of the African Group, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Slovenia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and Yemen.

In addition, Germany submitted a written statement.

States not party: India, Morocco, and Syria.

Organisations: NPA and NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review.

In addition, Mine Action Fellows addressed the 21MSP.

Requests submitted under Article 5

The following States Parties which had submitted requests for extensions of their Article 5 mine clearance deadlines presented their requests:

• Eritrea
• Ukraine

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation introduced the analyses that had been prepared with respect to the requests submitted by Eritrea and Ukraine.

Views were shared by the following delegations with respect to requests submitted by:

Eritrea: Zambia, NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review, ICBL and Kenya.

Views were shared by the following delegations with respect to requests submitted by:

Ukraine: Poland, ICBL, United Kingdom, GICHD, Netherlands, Canada and NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation delivered final remarks.

Assessment of the Article 5 extension process

The Twentieth Meeting of the States Parties, mandated the Committee on Article 5 Implementation to: “assess the Article 5 extension request process and challenges, based on the previously adopted decisions by States Parties and, taking into consideration other relevant documents on this matter, determine whether there would be a common ground for strengthening the process, including the considerations of all relevant stakeholders in an open, inclusive, and transparent manner, in particular mine affected States, and to report its conclusions and recommendations at the Twenty-first Meeting of States Parties. ”

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation presented the outcomes of the consultations on the Article 5 extension process and reported its conclusions and recommendations.

The following States Parties shared views on this topic: Austria, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and Zambia.

The following other delegations shared views on this topic: ICBL and NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review.

The Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance presented conclusions and recommendations related to the Committee’s mandate.

The Committee’s Gender Focal Point delivered remarks on gender and diversity in relation to victim assistance.

The Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Rights for People with Disabilities (CRPD) delivered a message to the Meeting.

The following States Parties in the process of fulfilling their responsibilities to mine victims provided updates on steps they have taken to implement Actions #33 through #41 of the Oslo Action Plan: Algeria, Angola, Cambodia, Colombia, Croatia, DRC, Iraq, Jordan, Mozambique, Peru, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning victim assistance: European Union, Austria, Norway, Netherlands, Morocco, ICBL and UNMAS on behalf of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA).

The Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance delivered his concluding remarks, and the incoming Chair of the Committee presented the Committee’s priorities for next year.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation presented conclusions and recommendations related to the Committee’s mandate.

The Committee’s Gender Focal Point delivered remarks on gender and diversity in relation to mine clearance.

• The following States Parties which are still in the process of clearing mined areas provided updates on steps taken to implement Actions 18 through 27 of the Oslo Action Plan: Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Croatia, DRC, Iraq, Niger, Peru, Senegal, Serbia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, State of Palestine, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Türkiye, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning Article 5: European Union, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, GICHD, ICBL, ICBL on behalf of the EORE Advisory Group, MAG, NPA and NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation delivered his concluding remarks. The incoming Chair of the Committee presented the Committee’s priorities for next year.

The Chair of the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance presented conclusions and recommendations related to the Committee’s mandate.

The Committee’s Gender Focal Point delivered remarks on gender and diversity in relation to cooperation and assistance.

The following delegations commented on steps they have taken to implement Actions #42 through #47 of the Oslo Action Plan: Algeria, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador and Peru, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Japan , Netherlands, Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Türkiye, United Kingdom, European Union, GICHD, the HALO Trust, ICBL, ICBL on behalf of the Gender Working Group, ITF Enhancing Human Security (ITF), MAG, NPA, Organisation of American States (OAS), UNMAS on behalf of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA).

In addition, Yemen submitted a written statement.

The Chair of the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance delivered her concluding remarks. The incoming Chair of the Committee presented the Committee’s priorities for next year.

The Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance presented conclusions and recommendations related to the Committee’s mandate.

The Committee’s Gender Focal Point delivered remarks on gender and diversity in relation to compliance.

The following States Parties mentioned in the conclusions of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance provided an update on ongoing investigations or activities undertaken to ensure compliance in accordance with Actions #48 to #50 of the Oslo Action Plan: Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen.

The following other delegations shared their views on compliance issues: Austria, Belgium, Ghana, Ireland, Mauritania, Mexico, Switzerland, United Kingdom, ICBL and the ICRC.

The Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance delivered his concluding remarks.

The President presented conclusions and recommendations on stockpile destruction.

The following States Parties that are still in the process of destroying stockpiled anti-personnel mines, including previously unknown stockpiles, provided updates on their efforts to fulfil their stockpile destruction obligations: Greece and Ukraine.

The following other delegation shared views or information on matters concerning stockpile destruction: ICBL.

The President provided an update on the status of universalization of the Convention. The following States not party shared views on the Convention and provided updates on steps being taken or considered to accede to the Convention: Azerbaijan, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan and Republic of Korea.

The following other delegations shared views or provided updates on efforts taken to encourage universal acceptance of the Convention: European Union, Belgium, Germany Japan, ICBL and the ICRC.

The following delegation exerted their right of reply: Armenia.

The President presented an overview of the status of transparency and the exchange of information.

The following delegation provided an update and shared views on transparency and exchange of information, including transparency as concerns mines retained for permitted purposes: Japan.  

In addition, the ICBL submitted a written statement.

The ISU Director presented the ISU 2024 work plan and budget and the 21MSP adopted this document. In addition, the ISU Director presented the 2023 interim report on the activities and finances of the ISU and the ISU audited annual financial report for 2022. The 21MSP approved these documents.

The President recalled that the term of the current ISU Director was coming to an end in April 2024 and that it was his wish and that of the next Presidency to extend the current Director’s mandate until April 2025 in order to not disrupt the preparations of the Fifth Review Conference. The President indicated that a silence procedure on this matter was launched on 7 July 2023 in which no reservations were expressed.

The 21MSP agreed to extend the contract of the Director of the ISU until April 2025.

The following delegation shared views on this matter: Mauritania.

The 21MSP considered a number of other matters concerning implementation support, including dates for the Intersessional Meetings in 2024, the new Committee members and the Convention's Sponsorship Programme.

The 21MSP agreed to hold the 2024 Intersessional Meetings on 18-20 June 2024 in Geneva.   

In keeping with his mandate, the 21MSP President consulted with States Parties to identify a list of nominees to serve as new Committee members following the 21MSP. The Meeting agreed on the following proposal:

• Committee on Article 5 Implementation: Colombia and Sweden (until the end of the Fifth Review Conference), Thailand and the United Kingdom (until the end of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties);
• Committee on Victim Assistance: Slovenia and Zambia (until the end of the Fifth Review Conference), Burkina Faso and the Netherlands (until the end of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties);
• Committee on Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance: Algeria and Japan (until the end of the Fifth Review Conference), Türkiye and Denmark (until the end of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties);
• Committee on Cooperative Compliance: Norway and South Africa (until the end of the Fifth Review Conference), Germany and Peru (until the end of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties).

In addition, Australia, in its capacity as Coordinator of the Sponsorship Programme provided an update on the Sponsorship Programme.

The status of assessed contributions was introduced by UNODA.

The following delegation shared views on matters related to the status of assessed contributions: Japan.

The meeting took decisions on the requests for extended mine clearance deadlines which were submitted by Eritrea and Ukraine.

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request submitted by Eritrea

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request submitted by Ukraine

The delegations of Eritrea and Ukraine took the floor. The delegation of Poland took the floor after the decisions on the Article 5 request submitted by Ukraine.

No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

The President reported back to the States Parties on the implementation of the 20MSP decision which mandated him to seek clarification and resolve questions related to compliance by Eritrea through the Secretary-General of the United Nations in accordance with Article 8.2 of the Convention.

The President indicated that, following discussion with Eritrea, including on the response submitted by Eritrea,  Eritrea’s efforts to enter into a cooperative dialogue with the Convention, as well as Eritrea’s submission of a request for an extension under Article 5 prior to the 21MSP, States Parties need not advance further on this matter and look forward to the further engagement of Eritrea in the work of the Convention in order “to end the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines”.

22MSP President

The 21MSP agreed to elect H.E. Tomiko Ichikawa, Ambassador Designate of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, President of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties (22MSP).

The President of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties delivered initial remarks following an introduction by H.E. Ichiro Ogasawara, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament.

23MSP President

The 21MSP agreed to elect H.E. Eunice M. Tembo Luambia, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Zambia to the United Nations, President of the Twenty-Third Meeting of the States Parties (23MSP).

The President of the Twenty-Third Meeting of the States Parties delivered initial remarks.

Fifth Review Conference President

The 21MSP agreed to elect H.E. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice-President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), President of the Fifth Review Conference.

The President of the Fifth Review Conference took the floor to present his initial ideas concerning his presidency and for the organisation of the Fifth Review Conference.

A short video was presented by the Fifth Review Conference Presidency to the 21MSP.

The 21MSP agreed that the Convention’s Fifth Review Conference will take place in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from 25 to 29 November 2024.

The 21MSP agreed to hold a First Preparatory Meeting in advance of the Fifth Review Conference on 21 June 2024 in Geneva and a Second Preparatory Meeting on 18 September 2024 also in Geneva.

Finally, the 21MSP adopted costs estimates for the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties.

No delegation took the floor under this item.

The 21MSP considered and adopted its final report.

The 21MSP President invited Mr Cristhian Melo, Legal Representative of the Colombian Federation of Associations of Survivors of Anti-Personnel Mines and other Explosive Ordnance to speak on the hopes of affected communities on the Road to the Fifth Review Conference. Mr Melo called on States Parties to foster inclusion of survivors and affected communities during the planning of a new action plan.

The 21MSP President delivered closing remarks.