2024 Intersessional Meetings

H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), President of the Fifth Review Conference (5RC), Mr. Laurent Masmejean, Deputy Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament, Ms. Greta Zeender, Head of the External Relations Policy and Cooperation Programme Division of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining, and Mr Sarani Diatta, Director of the Initiative for Solidarity Development Actions/Senegalese Association of Mine Victims as a representative of mine-affected communities, delivered opening remarks.

• H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch, President of the Fifth Review Conference
• Mr. Laurent Masmejean, Acting Representative of Switzerland
• Ms. Greta Zeender, Representative of the GICHD
• Mr. Sarani Diatta, Representative of mine-affected communities

The Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance, Slovenia, presented the Committee’s activities since the Twenty-First Meeting of the States Parties (21MSP) and reflections on the implementation by States Parties of their victim assistance commitments under the Oslo Action Plan (OAP) (Actions 33 to 41). 

The Netherlands, as the Committee’s gender focal point, delivered remarks on gender equality in victim assistance:

• The Netherlands

The following States Parties implementing victim assistance commitments offered updates on their efforts and challenges faced in the implementation of their commitments under the OAP:

• Cambodia
• DRC
• El Salvador statement + video
• Iraq
• Thailand
• Angola
• Colombia
• Guinea Bissau
• Mozambique
• Peru
• Senegal
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sri Lanka
• Niger
• Tajikistan
• Ukraine
• Algeria
• Uganda
• Zimbabwe
• Burundi
• Chad
• Türkiye
• Mauritania
• Mali

In addition the following State Party submitted a written statement:

• Yemen

The following other delegations shared views and information on matters related to victim assistance:

• Canada
• Australia
• European Union
• Italy
• ICBL

In addition, the following State Party submitted a written statement:

• Germany

The Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance, Slovenia, delivered concluding remarks.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation, Colombia, presented the Committee’s activities since the 21MSP and reflections on the implementation by States Parties of OAP actions related to survey and clearance of mined areas and mine risk education and reduction (Actions 18 to 32).

Thailand, as the Committee’s gender focal point, delivered remarks on gender and diversity in the context of the Committee’s work:

• Thailand

Following these presentations, the floor was granted to delegations for updates. The following States Parties which have submitted requests for extension of their Article 5 deadlines for consideration at the Fifth Review Conference presented highlights of their requests:

• Chad
• Cyprus
• Guinea Bissau
• Niger
• Peru
• Serbia

Guinea Bissau’s presentation was preceded by a statement delivered by H.E. Augusto Nhaga, Guinea Bissau’s Minister for the Country’s Freedom Fighters.

• H.E. Augusto Nhaga

The presentations from these States Parties were followed by comments from the following delegations:

On the request submitted by Chad: France and Mine Action Review.

On the request submitted by Cyprus: Türkiye and Greece.

On the request submitted by Guinea Bissau: Mine Action Review.

On the request submitted by Niger: Mine Action Review.

On the request submitted by Peru: Ecuador and Mine Action Review.

On the request submitted by Serbia: Mine Action Review.

On all requests: ICBL.

Serbia replied to comments that were made on its request.

In relation to Afghanistan, the Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation informed that the Committee has engaged and is maintaining a cooperative and constructive dialogue with Afghanistan and that given the exceptional circumstances, more time is necessary to ensure that the Convention can be implemented in the best possible way in line with its humanitarian objectives.

Views were shared by the following delegations with respect to the situation of Afghanistan: UNMAS, on behalf of the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA) and Mine Action Review.  

The Chair also shared comments on the situation of Eritrea which has not yet submitted a request for extension.

The following State Party provided an update on the status of implementation of Article 5 and indicated that it would be in a position to declare completion by its 1 February 2025 deadline:

• Oman

The floor was then given to States Parties which were requested to submit updated work plans in accordance with decisions on their extension requests to present an overview of their updated work plans:

• Cambodia
• Croatia 
• South Sudan

• Thailand
• Ukraine

In addition the following State Party submitted a written statement:

• Yemen

The following other States Parties implementing Article 5 presented updates on their progress in meetings their deadlines:

• Angola
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Iraq
• DRC
• Ethiopia
• Nigeria
• Somalia
• Sri Lanka
• Tajikistan
• Türkiye
• Zimbabwe

The following additional delegations shared views on matters related to Article 5 implementation:

• Norway
• European Union
• Australia
• Mexico

In addition the following States Parties submitted written statements:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Spain

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

The Chair of the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance, Algeria, presented the Committee’s activities since the 21MSP and reflections on the implementation by States Parties of the cooperation and assistance commitments under the OAP (Actions 42 to 47). 

Japan, as the Committee’s gender focal point, delivered remarks on gender and diversity in cooperation and assistance.

• Japan

The following delegation offered updates on their efforts and challenges on matters related to cooperation and assistance and / or shared views on matters related to coopetation and assistance:

• Cambodia
• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Iraq
• Brazil
• Thailand
• Switzerland

• United Kingdom
• Germany
• Italy
• Australia
• Türkiye
• Japan
• Côte d’ivoire
• Sudan
• Algeria
• France
• Peru
• Ghana
• Spain
• Mauritania
• Mozambique
• European Union
• GICHD
• The Halo Trust
• ICBL
• NPA
• UNMAS

In addition, the following delegation submitted a written statement:

• Yemen

The Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance presented the Committee’s activities since the 21MSP and reflections on the implementation by States Parties of the compliance commitments under the OAP (Actions 42 to 47).

Peru, as the Committee’s gender focal point delivered remarks on gender and diversity in the context of the work of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance.  

• Peru

The following State Party with alleged or known non-compliance with the general obligations under Article 1 provided updates on its efforts to address these matters:

• Ukraine

In addition, the following State Party with alleged or known non-compliance with the general obligations under Article 1  submitted a written statement:  

• Yemen 

The following other delegations took the floor on matters regarding to Article 1.1:

• Belgium
• Norway
• France
• Mine Action Review
• ICBL
• NPA

The Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance provided an update on Article 7 matters. No delegation shared views or made comments on the implementation of Article 7.

The Chair of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance provided an update on the status of Article 9 implementation. No delegation shared views or made comments on Article 9 matters.

6a. Universalization

The President presented his activities on universalization and the work of the Univerzalisation Coordination Group.

The following States not party provided updates on steps they are taking to move closer to the Convention:

States not party

• Korea
• Azerbaijan
• Morocco
• Lao PDR

The following other delegations offered updates on matters concerning universalisation in accordance with OAP Actions 11 and 12:

• ICBL
• European Union

6b. Stockpile destruction and retention of anti-personnel mines

The President presented his activities on matters related to stockpile destruction under Article 4 and on matters related to anti-personnel mines retained for training and other permitted purposes under Article 3.

The States Parties which have missed their Article 4 deadlines provided updated information on the implementation of their stockpile destruction commitments in accordance with OAP Actions 13 to 15:

• Greece
• Ukraine

The following other delegation shared views on Article 4 matters:

• ICBL

The following States Parties which have indicated retaining anti-personnel mines for permitted purposes under Article 3 took the floor:

• Sri Lanka
• Benin

Peru, as the Committee’s gender focal point, together with The Netherlands as the Committee on Victim Assistance’s gender focal point delivered a joint cross-regional statement on Gender Equality and Diversity:

• Netherlands and Peru joint statement

a. Activities and finances of the ISU

The ISU Director provided a written update on the ISU’s activities and finances.

• ISU Director

b. Pledging Conference

The President presented an update on the outcomes of the 2024 Pledging Conference.

• 5RC President

The Intersessional Meetings were closed by the President of the Fifth Review Conference.

See separate agenda.