Secretary-General, Addressing Contracting Parties to Protocol V to Convention

 

on Certain Conventional Weapons, Urges Stronger Measures to Help Victims

 

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the third Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Protocol V of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, in Geneva today, 9 November:

It is a pleasure to greet the States Parties to Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

Armed conflict leaves in its wake not only chaos, grief and hardship, but also explosive remnants of war that kill and maim long after the end of hostilities.  Protocol V, which provides the legal framework for addressing this horrendous humanitarian and developmental impact, can help us eliminate this deadly hazard.

I congratulate States parties for having established the machinery for the implementation of the Protocol.  I encourage you to make full use of this mechanism, which can facilitate assistance and improve knowledge about the scope of the problem ‑‑ and how to deal with it.

I also encourage you to promote information sharing on the use or abandonment of explosive ordnance ‑‑ bilaterally, through the United Nations, or through another entity as appropriate.  And I urge you to further operationalize the Plan of Action adopted at last year’s Conference of the High Contracting Parties, including through stronger measures to help victims.

I am very encouraged by the considerable increase in the number of States parties to the Protocol since last year.  I commend the 61 States that have expressed their consent to be bound by the Protocol, and call upon those States that have not yet done so to ratify Protocol V without delay.  I also take this opportunity to remind all States of their responsibility to provide effective protection to civilian populations both during and after armed conflicts.

The United Nations will continue to assist you in your noble efforts.  In that spirit, please accept my best wishes for a successful conference.

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For information media • not an official record