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Meeting Summary / Statements

MONDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2019

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the Fourth Review Conference took place in Oslo City Hall and featured the participation of HRH Crowne Prince Haakon of Norway, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Ine Eriksen Søreide, the Minister of Development of Norway, Mr. Dag-Inge Ulstein, the Mayor of Oslo, Ms. Marianne Borgen, the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Itsumi Nakamitsu, who conveyed a message from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, the Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr. Gilles Carbonnier, UNICEF Special Adviser, Mr. Geert Cappelaere, the Convention’s Special Envoys, HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium and HRH Prince Mired of Jordan, as well as Ms. Selma Guso from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mr. Alex Munyambabazi from Uganda representing landmine survivors, and Fay Wildhagen, artist.

TUESDAY 26 NOVEMBER - FRIDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2019

1. Opening of the Review Conference

The Fourth Review Conference was opened by H.E. Hans Brattskar, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations in Geneva, President of the Fourth Review Conference. 

2. Adoption of the agenda

The Conference adopted its agenda which was recommended at the Second Preparatory Meeting on 18 September. 

3. Election of the Vice-Presidents

The Conference elected the senior members of the Convention's Committees as Vice-Presidents of the Fourth Review Conference: Belgium, Colombia, Mozambique, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Thailand and Zambia. 

4. Confirmation of the Secretary-General

The Conference confirmed Ms. Ingrid Schøyen from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway as the Secretary-General of the Fourth Review Conference. 

5. Organisation of work

The Conference adopted its programme of work which was recommended at the Second Preparatory Meeting on 18 September.

6. Renewing the political commitment to the Convention 

The following representatives of States Parties addressed the Conference during the high level segment:

 

The following representatives of observer delegations addressed the Conference during the high level segment:

 

The following delegations also renewed their political commitment to the Convention:

7. Review of the operation and status of the Convention

The President invited States Parties to highlight their accomplishments since the Maputo Review Conference as well as their remaining challenges, encouraging them to speak on how the proposed Oslo Action Plan and other outcome documents could be of use guiding their future work. The President also encouraged delegations to include in their statements information on how they incorporate a gender perspective and considerations of age, disability and other diverse needs and experiences in the implementation of their Convention obligations. Diana Prado from the ICBL delivered introductory remarks on the importance of integrating a gender perspective in mine action. 

7a. Universalization

The President provided an update on the status of universalization and details on how universalization has been addressed in the Conference proposed outcome documents. 

Habbouba Aoun, ICBL campaigner from Lebanon delivered introductory remarks on universalization. 

The following States not party provided updates on their efforts to accede to the Convention: Lebanon, China, Myanmar, Morocco and India

The following delegations commented on the universalization aspects of the proposed outcome documents or otherwise shared views on the pursuit of the universalization of the Convention: Turkey, Switzerland, Sweden, Brazil, Belgium, Bangladesh, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia, Qatar, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Mexico, European Union, ICRCICBL and the ITF.

HRH Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein of Jordan, the Convention's Special Envoy, delivered closing remarks on universalization 

  • Convention's Special Envoy

7b. Destroying stockpiled anti-personnel mines

The President provided an update on the status of implementation of Article 4 stockpile destruction obligations and details on how matters related to stockpile destruction have been addressed in the Conference proposed outcome documents.

Hans Risser, Regional Director Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) delivered introductory remarks on stockpile destruction.

  • Hans Risser

The following State Party in the process of destroying stockpiled anti-personnel mines provided an update on efforts to complete implementation of Article 4 of the Convention: Greece.

The following States Parties provided updates on anti-personnel mines retained in accordance with Article 3 of the Convention: Botswana, Thailand, Australia, Chile and Indonesia.

The following delegations commented on the stockpile destruction aspects of the proposed outcome documents or otherwise shared views on stockpile destruction: the Netherlands, Belarus, ICRC and ICBL.

7c. Clearing mined areas

The President provided an update on the status of implementation of Article 5 mine clearance obligations and details on how matters related to mine clearance and mine risk education have been addressed in the Conference proposed outcome documents.

Ruth Bottomley, ICBL-CMC Researcher, delivered introductory remarks on the importance of mine risk education.

The Netherlands, in its capacity as Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation, gave an overview of mine clearance from the Committee’s perspective.

The following States Parties in the process of implementing Article 5 mine clearance obligations provided updates: Chile, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Peru, Thailand, Iraq, State of Palestine, Colombia, United Kingdom, Argentina (right of reply), United Kingdom (right of reply), Croatia, Croatia on MRESomalia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine, Niger, Serbia, Ecuador and Angola.

The following delegations commented on the mine clearance and/or mine risk education aspects of the proposed outcome documents or otherwise shared views on mine clearance and/or mine risk education: Brazil, Canada, Netherlands, Nigeria, Morocco, ICRC, IFRC, ICBL, ICBL (MRE)GICHD, UN-Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine ActionMAG and the OAS.

7d. Assisting the victims

The President recalled that even if the goal of a mine-free world and without new mine victims is achieved, work still needs to be done to ensure that mine victims and survivors are fully and equally included in society and that they receive the services they need to participate in society. In this context, the President provided details on how matters related to victim assistance have been addressed in the Conference proposed outcome documents.

Sarani Diatta, ICBL activist from Senegal, co-founder and coordinator of the Solidarity Initiative for Development Action working on emergency medical care, psychological care and the socio-economic reintegration of mine victims in Senegal and Guinea-Bissau and also representing landmine survivors, delivered introductory remarks.

Mozambique, in its capacity as Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance, gave an overview of victim assistance from the Committee’s perspective.

  • Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance

The following States Parties that have indicated that they are responsible for significant numbers of landmine survivors provided updates on their efforts related to victim assistance: Croatia, Tajikistan, Cambodia, Mozambique, Colombia, Peru, Jordan, Thailand, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Yemen, Angola, Somalia, Uganda, Guinea Bissau, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.

The following delegations commented on the victim assistance aspects of the proposed outcome documents or otherwise shared views on victim assistance: Belgium, Chile, United Kingdom, Ecuador, Brazil, Turkey, Mexico, Italy, Ireland, Austria, Sri Lanka, Morocco, ICRC, ICBL, UN-Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action and Every Casualty Worldwide.

 

On 25 and 27 November 2019, the Committee on Victim Assistance convened a Victim Assistance (VA) Experts Meeting on the margins of the Fourth Review Conference of the Convention.


7e. Other matters important for achieving the aims of the Convention

7ei. Cooperation and assistance

The President recalled that while each State Party is responsible for fulfilling its obligations under the Convention, meaningful cooperation and assistance – be it financial, technical or other types of support – can significantly help a State Party in fulfilling its obligations under the Convention, or to help it do so faster than it would have been able to on its own. In this context, the President provided details on how matters related to cooperation and assistance have been addressed in the Conference proposed outcome documents.

Chris Loughran and Camille Wallen from the Landmine Free 2025-campaign delivered introductory remarks on cooperation and assistance.

Sweden, in its capacity as Chair of the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance, gave an overview of cooperation and assistance from the Committee’s perspective.

The following delegations shared views on matters relation to cooperation and assistance: Peru and Ecuador joint statement, Spain and Colombia joint statement, United Kingdom, Brazil, Australia, Croatia, Tajikistan, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Colombia, Cambodia, Chile, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Finland, Poland, Japan, France, Ireland, Iraq, Canada, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sri Lanka, Austria, Sudan, Vietnam, ICBL and UNMAS.

7eii. Transparency in implementation

The President provided an update on the status of transparency and the exchange of information and emphasized the link between the provision of high-quality information and cooperation and assistance. In addition, the President provided details on how matters related to transparency and the exchange of information have been addressed in the Conference proposed outcome documents.

The following delegations provided updates and/or shared views on transparency and the exchange of information: Belgium, Mozambique, Canada and the ICBL.

7eiii. Measures to ensure compliance

The President underlined the importance of ensuring compliance with all the Convention’s obligations and highlighted the Convention’s tradition of cooperation and transparency in this regard. In this context, the President emphasized the importance of having clear and agreed ways to handle cases of non-compliance , should any emerge in the future and provided details on how these matters are reflected in the Conference proposed outcome documents.

Poland, in its capacity as Senior Member of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance, gave an overview of compliance matters from the Committee’s perspective.

  • Senior Member of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance

The following delegations provides updates and/or shared views on measures to ensure compliance: Yemen, Greece, Mexico, Iraq, ICRC and the ICBL.

7eiv. Implementation support

The President recalled that the Fourth Review Conference is an opportunity to review the machinery that was established at the Third Review Conference as well an opportunity to review the need and the nature of meetings (both formal and informal) and agree on the meetings programme for the period until the Fifth Review Conference in 2024. In this regard, the President presented his report on the Convention's machinery and meeting programme which was prepared to facilitate the Conference's review of these matters.

In addition, the President presented a set of proposed decisions on the Convention's meeting programme and on the machinery:

The following delegations shared views on matters related to the Convention's meeting programme and/or machinery: Switzerland and the ICRC.

The Conference adopted the decisions on the Convention's meeting programme and the Convention's machinery.

With regards to matters related to the Implementation Support Unit (ISU), the President presented the ISU Work Plan and Budget 2020-2024.

  • ISU Work Plan and Budget 2020-2024

The following delegation shared views with respect to the ISU five-year work plan: Switzerland.

The ISU Director presented the ISU work plan and budget 2020.

  • ISU work plan and budget 2020

In addition, the ISU Director presented the interim 2019 report on activities and finances and the audited annual financial report for 2018.

The following delegations shared views with respect to the ISU: Switzerland, Japan and the GICHD.

The Conference also considered a number of other matters concerning implementation support, including the new Committee members and the Convention's Sponsorship Programme.

In keeping with its mandate, the Fourth Review Conference President consulted with States Parties to identify a list of nominees to serve as new Committee members following the Fourth Review Conference. The Conference agreed that the following States Parties serve as Committee members from the end of the Fourth Review Conference for a two-year term:

  • Committee on Victim Assistance: Sweden and Thailand;
  • Committee on Article 5 Implementation: Norway and Zambia;
  • Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance: Colombia and Germany;
  • Committee on Cooperative Compliance: Panama and Poland.

It was agreed that these States Parties would join the following which would be completing the second year of their two-year term between the end of the Fourth Review Conference and the end of the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties:

  • Committee on Victim Assistance: Chile and Italy;
  • Committee on Article 5 Implementation: Austria and Canada;
  • Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance: United Kingdom and Turkey;
  • Committee on Cooperative Compliance: Iraq and Switzerland. 

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

8. Presentation of requests submitted under Article 5 and analyses of these requests

The following seven States Parties which had submitted requests for extensions of their Article 5 mine clearance deadlines presented their requests: Argentina, Cambodia, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tajikistan and Yemen.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation introduced the analyses that had been prepared with respect to the requests submitted by Argentina, Cambodia, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tajikistan and Yemen.

The following delegation shared views with respect to the request submitted by Argentina: United Kingdom.

The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Cambodia: ICBL and the GICHD.

The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Chad: Jordan and the ICBL.

The following delegation shared views with respect to the request submitted by Eritrea: ICBL.

The following delegation shared views with respect to the request submitted by Ethiopia: ICBL.

The following delegation shared views with respect to the request submitted by Tajikistan: ICBL.

The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Yemen: Jordan, ICBL and the GICHD.

9. Financial status of assessed contributions pursuant to Article 14

The Fourth Review Conference Executive-Secretary, Peter Kolarov from UNODA, provided an update on the status of assessed contributions. 

The President presented his report on the financial predictability and sustainability of UN assessed contributions and the proposed set of decisions on these matters.

The following delegations shared views with regards to financial matters: United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Canada, Japan and Germany. 

The Conference adopted the decisions on the predictability and sustainability of United Nations assessed contributions. 

10. Consideration of the ISU 2020-2014 five-year work plan and budget and the 2020 work plan and budget

The Conference approved the ISU’s Five-Year Work Plan and Budget 2020-2024, the ISU 2020 work plan and budget, the ISU’s 2019 interim report and the ISU 2018 audited statement.

11. Consideration of submissions of States Parties as provided for in Article 5

The Conference took decisions on the requests for extended mine clearance deadlines which had been submitted by Argentina, Cambodia, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Tajikistan and Yemen.

The delegations of Cambodia, Chad and Yemen took the floor.

12. Dates, duration and locations of future meetings

The Meeting decided to elect H.E. Osman Abufatima Adam Mohammed, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva, President of the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties. The President of the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties presented his initial ideas for his presidency and for the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties and informed the Conference about 2020 meeting dates.

The Conference decided to hold the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties in Geneva, Switzerland, the week of 16 November 2020 and to hold the intersessional meetings the week of 18 May 2020, unless more suitable dates can be identified. 

The Conference decided to hold the Nineteenth Meeting of the States Parties (19MSP) in the Netherlands, in 2021 and to elect H.E. Robert Jan Gabriëlse, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, as its President. 

In addition, the Conference adopted costs estimates for the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Meetings of the States Parties. 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Ms. Ine Eriksen Søreide addressed the Conference followed by the Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan, Mr. El Siddig Abdulaziz Abdalla.

13. Recommendation for adoption of the final documents

Following a presentation by the President of the latest amendments to the final documents, the Conference recommended the Review, the Oslo Action Plan and the Oslo Declaration on a Mine-Free World together with their respective amendments for adoption.

The following State Party took the floor to give an interpretative statement on the Oslo Action Plan: Turkey

14. Any other business

No delegation took the floor under this item. 

15. Adoption of the final document

The Conference adopted its final report and related documents, which were recommended for adoption during the morning session on Friday 29 November.

16. Closure of the Review Conference

The President of the Fourth Review Conference, His Excellency Hans Brattskar, and invited speakers closed the Fourth Review Conference.

The Conference closed with Ms. Hana Cervenka, member of the Fourth Review Conference Presidency team, reading the Oslo Declaration on a Mine-Free World.