The second Quarterly Newsletter on the CCM is now out in both English and Arabic. Click here to read the highlights of April to June 2020.

Under Article 3 of the CCM, Peru has an obligation to complete the destruction of all its stockpiled cluster munitions under its jurisdiction and control by 1 March 2021, eight years after the Convention entered into force for it. On 6 January 2020, Peru sent official communication to inform of its inability to complete the destruction process by this deadline and its intention to requesting for an extension.

Several factors have delayed Peru’s compliance with its obligations. In this regard, the Peruvian authorities invited the ISU Director, Ms. Sheila N. Mweemba, for an in-country visit to assess and provide guidance in the preparation of its deadline extension request. In accepting the invitation, the ISU Director participated in a Workshop in Lima, Peru, from 25 – 27 February 2020 to review and improve on the extension request workplan that accounts for the stockpile destruction work during the extension period. The Workshop was also attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Peruvian Air Force and implementing partners Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA).

While in Peru, the ISU Director also paid courtesy calls on the Vice Minister of Resources for Defense, Lieutenant General Javier Enrique Ramírez Guillén (pictured below), and Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Luis Enrique Chávez Basagoitia.

The 2RC President, Ambassador Félix Baumann, was invited to brief the Permanent Delegation of the African Union in Geneva on the CCM. The meeting that was held on 19 February 2020 at an Ambassadorial level served to provide information on the Convention and its implementation to African State representatives. The President highlighted his priorities for the year especially regarding further universalization of the Convention on the continent which still had 9 signatory States and 11 States not Party. He also mentioned specific activities to be undertaken during the year that would be in line with the AU’s theme of the year “Silencing the Guns”, an initiative that is part of the AU Agenda 2063 and whose aim is to end all conflicts on the continent by 2020.

The ISU Director, Ms. Sheila N. Mweemba, also accompanied the President to the meeting.

President of the 2^nd Review Conference (2RC) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, with the support of the Implementation Support Unit (ISU), organized a closed meeting in the margins of the 23^rd International Meeting of National Mine Action Programme Directors and UN Advisers (NDM-UN 23) on 14 February 2020 at the Palais des Nations. The aim of the side event was to provide a platform for Signatory States and States not Party to the CCM to discuss challenges and possible solutions to joining the Convention in the lead up to the 2RC.

Ambassador Baumann who moderated the meeting delivered the welcoming remarks wherein he highlighted the importance of advancing the implementation of the provisions of the Convention. The President also gave an outline of the Swiss presidency’s objective and strategy to promote CCM universalization in the lead up to the 2RC. This was followed by presentations by the panellists which included the ISU Director, Ms. Sheila N. Mweemba, Ms. Diana Prado of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), and Ms. Wen Zhou of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). A lively exchange ensued among the participants on obstacles countries were facing in ratifying or acceding to the Convention as well as ideas on enhancing its universalization. The event gathered 19 participants from 7 CCM member states and 6 non-member states.

To date, 121 States have committed to the goals of the CCM, 108 as States Parties and 13 signatories. The Dubrovnik Action Plan adopted in 2015 outlined the Convention’s aim to achieve 130 States Parties by the 2RC that is scheduled to take place in November 2020.

In the sidelines of the 23^rd International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and UN Advisers (NDM-UN 23), the Director of the Implementation Support Unit (ISU), Ms. Sheila N. Mweemba, met with Mr. Brahim Djibrine Brahim, Coordinator of the National High Commission for Demining (HCND), Mr. Moussa Ali Soultani, Director of Operations and Technical Logistics of the HCND and Mr. Olivier Shu, Senior Technical Advisor of the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD).

During the meeting, issues related to the implementation of the provisions of the CCM and progress made in this regard were discussed. Chad indicated that it would be able to fulfil its obligations under Article 4 (clearance) of the Convention well ahead of its deadline of 1 September 2023.

Chad signed the CCM on 3 December 2008, ratified on 26 March 2013 and the Convention entered into force for it on 1 September 2013. Chad is one of the 17 States Parties that has had obligations under Article 4 of the CCM. To date, 6 have declared compliance with these obligations.

As of February 2020, 11 States Parties have yet to fulfil their obligations under Article 4. It is expected that this number would be significantly reduced by the Second Review Conference (2RC) to be held in November 2020.

The government of the Republic of Zimbabwe, a State not Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), demonstrated its interest to receive a briefing on the Convention by accepting to host an in-country visit of the President of the CCM Second Review Conference (2RC) Ambassador Félix Baumann of Switzerland from 4-5 February 2020.

In Harare, Ambassador Baumann met with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador James Manzou, and Secretary of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Ambassador Mark Grey Marongwe, to promote the CCM and encourage Zimbabwe to accede to the Convention. The 2RC President was accompanied by the Director of the CCM Implementation Support Unit (ISU), Ms. Sheila N. Mweemba, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Zimbabwe, H.E. Mr. Niculin Jäger, and representatives of the Embassies of Germany and the United Kingdom in Harare.

The visit to Zimbabwe formed part of the 2RC Presidency’s universalization outreach inspired by the Convention’s aim to achieve 130 States Parties by the 2RC that is scheduled to take place in November 2020. The CCM currently has 108 States Parties and 13 Signatories.

The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is State Party no. 108 and the first to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) in 2020. The government of São Tomé and Príncipe deposited its instrument of ratification at the United Nations in New York on 27 January 2020. The Convention will enter into force for São Tomé and Príncipe on 1 July 2020 in accordance with Article 17.2.

Ambassador Félix Baumann, President of the Second Review Conference (2RC), heartily congratulates São Tomé and Príncipe for its ratification and calls on the remaining 13 Signatory States to follow its example. The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe’s ratification brings the CCM closer to achieving its goal of 130 States Parties by the 2RC in November 2020.

The first three Convention on Cluster Munitions 2019 annual reports submitted in accordance with Article 7 of the Convention have already been received – just 3 days into the New Year. Hearty congratulations to the three States Parties that complied with this important obligation. To salute their diligence, they have been awarded medals in of submission with Guinea-Bissau getting Gold, Australia -Silver and Saint Kitts and Nevis – Bronze.

All other CCM States Parties are encouraged to emulate the example given by Guinea-Bissau, Australia and Saint Kitts and Nevis in submitting their 2019 annual transparency reports well before the due date of 30 April. 2020. Under Article 7 of the Convention all States parties are required to report annually to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by 30 April of each year. The report should cover the previous calendar year   (1 January to 31 December) and should be sent to the UN Secretary-General, via the Office for Disarmament Affairs at ccm@un.org. The ISU would also appreciate a copy of the submitted report sent to info@cmconvention.org.

To facilitate reporting, States Parties are recommended to use the reporting template, which is available in English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

On 12 December 2019, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution on the implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) by 144 Yes votes, 38 abstentions and 1 No. A vote on the preambular paragraph 14 of the Resolution was carried out, with a recorded vote of 153 in favour, 17 abstentions and none against.

For more information on the 2019 CCM resolution, visit the dedicated webpage. The adopted resolution will be made available on the webpage soon.

CCM State party no. 106, the Philippines, sent its initial transparency report to the UN Secretary-General on 11 December 2019, 17 days ahead of its due date of 28 December. The Philippines’ timely submission resulted in all four initial transparency reports due in 2019 (Sri Lanka, Namibia, the Gambia and the Philippines) being submitted before their deadlines.

The 2RC President, Ambassador Félix Baumann, warmly congratulates the Philippines for leading by example and strongly encourages States parties with outstanding initial reports to submit their reports as a matter of priority. Initial reports are key for establishing the benchmark against which progress will be measured.