States Parties of Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention gather in Geneva from 2-5 December
The annual Meeting of the States Parties to the Anti-Personal Mine Ban Convention – also known as the Ottawa Convention – takes place for the 13th time in Geneva from 2-5 December 2013 (13MSP). With the accession of Poland to the Convention in June 2013, it is the first Meeting for the European Union, where all its 28 Member States are States Parties. Furthermore, the Meeting is of particular importance as it is the last opportunity for a collective assessment of common efforts and remaining challenges before the Convention’s Third Review Conference taking place in Maputo, Mozambique, in June 2014. Ahead of the Convention’s Review Conference next year, the States Parties will assess during the week of the annual Meeting the implementation of the Cartagena Action Plan 2010-2014, which was adopted in at the 2009. This assessment of challenges and work that remains to be done will be recorded at the 13MSP’s Geneva Progress Report. Furthermore, the 13MSP will consider requests for extensions on mine clearance deadlines, assess the “general status and operation of the Convention” and discuss how to enhance international cooperation and assistance and to increase resource mobilization. (Read full Press Release here).
[source: Europa]