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Programme

Monday 26 to Friday 30 November 2018

The meeting was officially opened by the Seventeenth Meeting of the States Parties (17MSP) President, H.E. Suraya Dalil, Ambassador of Aghanistan to the United Nations in Geneva. 

 

A high level opening ceremony featured an address delivered by the Minister of Defence of Sudan addresses by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Assistant High

A high level opening ceremony featured addresses delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan and by the Convention Special Envoy as well as messages delivered on behalf of organisations that historically played a role in the Convention:

 

The States Parties adopted the agenda for the 17MSP.

 

In keeping with past practice, those eight outgoing members of the Committees were elected as Vice-Presidents of the 17MSP, namely: Algeria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, Iraq, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.  

H.E. Sabrina Dallafior, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament, was confirmed as the Secretary-General of the 17MSP.

The States Parties adopted the programme of work for the 17MSP.

The following States Parties took the floor to deliver general statements: Thailand, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Chile, Spain, Turkey, Mozambique, South Africa, Italy, Poland, South Sudan, Australia, Brazil, State of Palestine, United Kingdom, Japan, Algeria, Netherlands, Ireland, Estonia, Costa Rica, Germany, Canada, Montenegro, Ecuador, Angola, El Salvador and Mexico.

The following States not party took the floor to deliver general statements: China, Pakistan, India and Morocco.

The following organisations delivered general statements: United Nations IACG-MA, MAG and ITF. 

The following four States Parties which had submitted requests for extensions of their Article 5 mine clearance deadlines presented their requests: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus and Serbia.  

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation introduced the analyses that had been prepared with respect to the requests submitted by Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus and Serbia.

  • The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Bosnia and Herzegovina: Jordan and ICBL.
  • The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Croatia: ICBL and Colombia.
  • The following delegation shared views with respect to the request submitted by Cyprus: Turkey.
  • The following delegation shared views with respect to the request submitted by Serbia: ICBL.

The following three States Parties which had submitted requests for extensions of their Article 5 mine clearance deadlines presented their requests: Sudan, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

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

  • The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Sudan: Jordan, Mauritania, ICBL and the State of Palestine.
  • The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Ukraine: Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Poland, United Kingdom, Latvia, Ireland, ICRC and ICBL.
  • The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by the United Kingdom: ICBL and Argentina.
  • The United Kingdom exerted its right of reply.

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

The following States Parties that have indicated that they are responsible for significant numbers of landmine survivors provided updates on steps they have taken to implement Actions #12 through #18 of the Maputo Action Plan: 

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning victim assistance: 

The Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance delivered her concluding remarks followed by the incoming Chair of the Committee.

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

  • Conclusions of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation

The following States Parties which are still in the process of clearing mined areas provided updates on steps taken to implement Actions #8 through #11 of the Maputo Action Plan: Cambodia, Chad, Chile, Niger, Tajikistan, Argentina and Yemen.

The following States Parties which are still in the process of clearing mined areas provided updates on steps taken to implement Actions #8 through #11 of the Maputo Action Plan: Croatia, Thailand, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Turkey, Afghanistan, Oman, Ukraine, Colombia, Iraq, Ecuador, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Peru and Sri Lanka.

Mauritania declared that it had completed its Convention's Article 5 mine clearance obligations.

The following delegation took the floor following Mauritania's declaration: Algeria. 

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning Article 5: Austria, European Union, Norway, New Zealand, Switzerland, Holy See, Mexico, Zambia, Netherlands, Canada, ICRC, United Nations IACG-MA and ICBL.

In addition, the Chair of the Committee on Article 5 implementation delivered closing remarks.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 implementation presented the Committee's document recalling the States Parties' obligation to destroy anti-personnel mines in mined areas under Article 5, referencing key understandings adopted by the States Parties on the implementation of Article 5 and containing recommendations to States Parties in declaring completion.

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

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

The following delegations commented on steps they have taken to implement Actions #19 through #24 of the Maputo Action Plan: 

The Chair of the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance delivered closing remarks followed by the incoming Chair.  

The President, as Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance, presented conclusions and recommendations related to the mandate of the Committee.

The following delegations commented on the conclusions of the Committee or shared views or information on matters concerning cooperative compliance: 

In addition, the Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance delivered closing remarks. 

The President presented her conclusions on the status of implementation of Article 4.

Oman declared that it had completed the destruction of its stockpiled anti-personnel mines.

The following States Parties that are still in the process of destroying stockpiled anti-personnel mines, including previously unknown stockpiles, provided updates on steps taken to implement Actions #5 through #7 of the Maputo Action Plan: 

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning stockpile destruction: 

The President provided an update on the status of universalization of the Convention.

H.R.H. Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan, the Convention's Special Envoy, provided an update on his activities.

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning universalization: 

The President presented an update on transparency and the exchange of information and encouraged States Parties to make use of all the relevant tools, including the Guide to Reporting, when preparing their annual transparency reports.

The following delegations shared views or information on matters concerning transparency, including on mines retained for permitted purposes under Article 3: 

  • Jordan, Switzerland, Croatia and ICBL.
  • In addition the following State Party provided an update on the establishment of national implementation measures in accordance with Article 9: Afghanistan.

The ISU Director presented the ISU work plan and budget 2019 and the 17MSP adopted this document.

  • ISU work plan and budget 2019

In addition, the ISU Director presented the interim 2018 report on activities and finances and the audited annual financial report for 2017. The 17MSP approved these documents.

The following delegation shared views on these matters: Canada

The meeting considered a number of other matters concerning implementation support, including dates for the intersessional meetings in 2019, the new Committee members and the Convention's Sponsorship Programme.

The 17MSP agreed to hold the 2019 intersessional meetings on 22-24 May 2019 in Geneva.   

In keeping with its mandate, the 17MSP President consulted with States Parties to identify a list of nominees to serve as new Committee members following the 17MSP. The meeting, not precluding any decision that may be made by the Fourth Review Conference concerning the Convention's implementation machinery, agreed on the following proposal:

  • Article 5 Implementation: Colombia and the Netherlands until the end of the Fourth Review Conference and Austria and Canada until the end of the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties; 
  • Victim Assistance: Belgium and Mozambique until the end of the Fourth Review Conference and Chile and Italy until the end of the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties; 
  • Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance: Sweden and Thailand until the end of the Fourth Review Conference and the United Kingdom and Turkey until the end of the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties; 
  • Cooperative Compliance: Poland and Zambia until the end of the Fourth Review Conference and Iraq and Switzerland until the end of the Eighteenth 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.

  • Status of assessed contributions

The following delegations shared views on this matter: 

The President reported on the outcomes of her consultations and presented her report on the financial predictability and sustainability of United Nations assessed contributions.

No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

The Meeting agreed to elect H.E. Hans Brattskar, Ambassador of Norway to the United Nations in Geneva, President of the Fourth Review Conference.

The President of the Fourth Review Conference presented his initial ideas for his presidency and for the Fourth Review Conference.  

The 17MSP agreed to hold the Fourth Review Conference in Oslo, Norway on 25-29 November 2019.  

The Meeting also agreed to hold the First Preparatory Meeting in advance of the Fourth Review Conference  in Geneva on 24 May 2019 and the Second Preparatory Meeting in Geneva on 18 September 2019. 

In addition, the 17MSP adopted cost estimates for the Fourth Review Conference and preparatory meetings. 

The Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance reported on the outcomes of the 28-29 November 2018 Victim Assistance Experts meeting.

  • Statement of the Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance

Sudan took the floor to express its interest in chairing the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties.

Afghanistan took the floor to announce the next edition of the annual meeting which brings together Afghanistan's donors and implementing partners.

  • Statement of Afghanistan

The meeting considered and adopted the final report of the 17MSP.

The President delivered her closing remarks.