The Africa regional workshop on the Universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which was hosted by New Zealand (CCM Coordinator for National Implementation Measures of the Convention), Ecuador and Zambia (CCM Coordinators on Universalization) took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 4-5 August 2016, and was attended by 17 States.

Of these, 8 countries are Signatories to the CCM, 3 States not Party and 6 States Parties. The African Union also participated in the Workshop. Participating as resource persons were representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC). The Geneva-based Implementation Support Unit of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (ISU-CCM) provided logistical and technical support to the workshop.

The purpose of the Regional Workshop was to provide an opportunity for signatory and non-signatory States in Africa to discuss challenges and solutions for joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions. States Parties present shared their experiences and best practices in dealing with the challenges they faced in ratifying and implementing the CCM. The workshop provided a global overview of the Convention and its impact on the ground. Resources and expert advice on joining and implementing the Convention was shared with participants.

Furthermore it was anticipated that the workshop would help States take steps towards ratification or accession in the lead up to the Sixth Meeting of States Parties of the Convention on Cluster Munitions scheduled to take place from 5 to 7 September in Geneva, Switzerland. Additionally, the workshop represented a key opportunity for the region to take concrete steps towards achieving the goals established in the Dubrovnik Action Plan.

The Workshop ended with participants detailing how they would take the remaining work forward in Africa through the adoption of a pledge called Addis Ababa Commitment on universalization and implementation of the CCM.

Read the Final Report

Annotated agenda
Background document

Opening remarks

Opening remarks by New Zealand
Opening remarks by the African Union
Opening remarks by the Cluster Munition Coalition

Presentations

CCM global overview
CCM status in Africa
Stockpile destruction and clearance
Victim assistance
National implementation measures
Transparency reporting
ICRC tools