Summary

The meeting was officially opened by the Twentieth Meeting of the States Parties (20MSP) President, H.E. Alvaro Enrique Ayala Melendez, Ambassador and Chargé d'Affaires, Permanent Mission of Colombia to the United Nations in Geneva.

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

  • Mamadu Ba Cantre, Guinea-Bissau, father of landmine survivor
  • HRH Prince Mired Bin Raad Bin Zeid Al Hussein of Jordan, Convention's Special Envoy
  • Izumi Nakamitsu, Under Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs on behalf of the United Nations Secretary General
  • Margaret Arach Orech , ICBL Ambassador
  • Gilles Carbonnier, Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
  • Barbara Haering, President of the Council of Foundation of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)
  • Daniel Craig, United Nations Global Advocate for the Elimination of Mines and Explosive Hazards
  • Danilo Rueda, Colombia’s High Commissioner for Peace

The ceremonial opening also featured three musical performances by Colombian soprano singer Ana María Villamizar accompanied by guitarist Ezequiel Cappellano.

The States Parties adopted the agenda for the 20MSP.

In keeping with past practice, the eight outgoing members of the Committees were elected as Vice-Presidents of the 20MSP, namely: Algeria, Belgium, Chile, Ecuador, Japan, Spain, Sri Lanka, and Sudan.

H.E. Ambassador Felix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament was confirmed as the Secretary-General of the 20MSP.

The States Parties adopted the programme of work for the 20MSP.

The President, the Chairs of the Convention’s four Committees and the representative of the Gender Focal Points, presented the main findings of the 2021-2022 progress report, highlighting strengths and weaknesses in implementation and areas which need to be prioritized or intensified between now and the Fifth Review Conference in 2024.

Belgium, Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation

Algeria, Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance

Japan, Chair of the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance

Colombia, President and Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance

France, Representative of the Committees’ Gender Focal Points

The following delegation took the floor: Norwegian People’s Aid on behalf of Mine Action Review.

The following delegations delivered general statements:

States Parties:

Algeria, Austria, Brazil, Burundi, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Holy See, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Slovenia, Sweden, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine and Yemen.

States not party:

India, Lao PDR, Syrian Arab Republic and the United States of America.

Organisations:

The European Union and UNDP on behalf of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action.

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

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation introduced the analyses that had been prepared with respect to the requests submitted by Afghanistan, Argentina, Ecuador, Guinea-Bissau, Serbia, Sudan, Thailand and Yemen.

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

Afghanistan: ICBL and NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review

Argentina: United Kingdom

Ecuador: Peru

Guinea-Bissau: GICHD and MAG

Sudan: Jordan, Yemen, State of Palestine and Mauritania and Iraq

Thailand: NPA

Yemen: GICHD, Sudan, State of Palestine and Jordan

Afghanistan, Argentina, Ecuador, Guinea-Bissau, Serbia, Sudan, Thailand and Yemen replied to comments that were made on their requests.

The President shared comments on the situation of one State Party which has not submitted a request for extension: Eritrea.

Views were shared by the following delegations with respect to the situation of Eritrea: NPA on behalf of MAR and ICBL.

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

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

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, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Colombia, Croatia, DRC, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Jordan, Mozambique, Peru, Serbia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Türkiye, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning victim assistance: European Union, Austria, Belgium, Humanity & Inclusion (HI), ICBL, ICRC, UNMAS on behalf of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action.

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

The session was closed by a message by the UN Special Envoy on Disability and Accessibility.

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

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, Croatia, DRC, Ethiopia, Iraq, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Yemen and Zimbabwe.

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning Article 5: the European Union, Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Mauritania, Mexico, Niger, Norway, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, GICHD, ICBL on clearance, ICBL on MRE, ICBL-fellows, ICRC, ITF, MAG on behalf of the Explosive Ordnance Risk Education Advisory Group, NPA, NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review and HALO Trust on behalf of the Gender and Diversity Working Group. 

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation delivered 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 following delegations commented on steps they have taken to implement Actions #42 through #47 of the Oslo Action Plan: Algeria, Angola, Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru and Ecuador, Sudan, Switzerland, Türkiye, United Kingdom, Yemen, Organisation of American States (OAS), GICHD, HALO Trust, ICBL, MAG, NPA and NPA on behalf of Mine Action Review.

The Chair of the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance delivered 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 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 and Yemen.

The following other delegations shared their views on compliance issues: Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, European Union, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, Zambia, ICBL and 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, Republic of Korea, Morocco, and the United States of America.

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

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 delegations provided updates and share views on transparency and exchange of information, including transparency as concerns mines retained for permitted purposes: Yemen and ICBL.

  • i. Report on the activities, functioning and finances of the ISU and presentation of a work plan and a budget for the 2023 activities of the ISU

The ISU Director presented the ISU 2023 work plan and budget and the 20MSP adopted this document.

In addition, the ISU Director presented the interim 2022 report on the activities and finances of the ISU and the ISU audited annual financial report for 2021. The 20MSP approved these documents.

  • ii. Other matters concerning implementation support

The meeting considered a number of other matters concerning implementation support, including dates for the Intersessional Meetings in 2023, the new Committee members and the Convention's Sponsorship Programme.

The 20MSP agreed to hold the 2023 Intersessional Meetings on 19-21 June 2023 in Geneva.   

In keeping with its mandate, the 20MSP President consulted with States Parties to identify a list of nominees to serve as new Committee members following the 20MSP. The Meeting agreed on the following proposal:

  • Committee on Article 5 Implementation: France and Iraq until the end of the Twenty-First Meeting of the States Parties and Colombia and Sweden until the end of the Fifth Review Conference; 
  • Committee on Victim Assistance: Italy and Uganda until the end of the TTwenty-First Meeting of the States Parties and Algeria and Japan until the end of the Fifth Review Conference; 
  • Committee on Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance: the Netherlands and Thailand until the end of the Twenty-First Meeting of the States Parties and Algeria and Japan until the end of the Fifth Review Conference; 
  • Committee Cooperative Compliance: Switzerland and Türkiye until the end of the Twenty-First Meeting of the States Parties and Norway and South Africa until the end of the Fifth Review Conference.

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 Fourth Review Conference in 2019 took a number of financial decisions, to ensure the financial predictability and sustainability of the Convention. Unfortunately, the United Nations could not implement all of them. In particular, the measure on the accounts’ closure, as contained in paragraph 42 (b) (ii) of the Fourth Review Conference’s outcome document.

In 2021, the 19MSP President introduced a proposal allowing the United Nations to close the accounts in a manner that is consistent with the financial rules and regulations of the UN, while also providing States Parties their credits once they become available. The 19MSP requested the President of the 20MSP to continue to consult on matters related to financial predictability and sustainability of United Nations assessed contributions with a view of submitting a proposal for adoption at the 20MSP.

A number of consultations were held during the course of 2022 on a draft financial decision.

The President presented the proposed decision on the financial predictability and sustainability of United Nations’ assessed contributions for adoption by the 20MSP.

The following delegations shared views on matters related to the status of assessed contributions: Argentina, Brazil, France, Japan and Venezuela.

The meeting took decisions on the requests for extended mine clearance deadlines which were submitted by Afghanistan, Argentina, Ecuador, Guinea-Bissau, Serbia, Sudan, Thailand and Yemen.

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request submitted by Afghanistan

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request by Argentina

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request by Ecuador

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request by Guinea-Bissau

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request by Serbia

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request by Sudan

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request by Thailand

Decisions on the Article 5 extension request by Yemen

Decisions on the situation in Eritrea

The delegations of Ecuador, Guinea-Bissau and Sudan took the floor. The delegation of the United Kingdom took the floor after the decisions on the Article 5 request submitted by Argentina.

No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

The 20MSP agreed to elect H.E. Thomas Göbel, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Germany to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, President of the Twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties (21MSP).

The President of the Twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties took the floor to present his initial ideas concerning his presidency and for the organisation of the Twenty-first Meeting of the States Parties.

The President indicated that no official candidacy had yet been received to host and preside over the Fifth Review Conference in 2024 and welcomed interested States Parties to come forward as soon as possible.

The President recalled the decision of the 19MSP to hold the 21MSP in Geneva, Switzerland, the week of 20-24 November 2023.

The 20MSP agreed that the Convention’s Fifth Review Conference will take place the week of 30 November to 3 December 2024, without precluding any future interest expressed by a State Party to preside over and host the Fifth Review Conference and subsequent need to alter the date of the conference.

Finally, the 20MSP adopted cost estimates for the Fifth Review Conference.

The following delegations took the floor: Japan and Austria.

No delegation took the floor under this agenda item.

The meeting considered and adopted the final report of the 20MSP.