VIENTIANE: Timor-Leste has moved to join the global effort to end the threat of cluster munitions, despite never being directly affected by the weapons.
The country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, signed a Declaration of Accession to the Convention on Cluster Munitions during the Third Review Conference in Vientiane on Tuesday (Sept 15), marking a step towards becoming a State Party to the Convention.
Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thongsavan Phomvihane, who is president of the conference, signed as a witness to Timor-Leste’s decision.
He said the move reflected Timor-Leste’s commitment to international humanitarian principles and showed that addressing the suffering caused by cluster munitions is a shared responsibility.
“Although Timor-Leste has not been directly affected by cluster munitions, it has chosen to stand alongside affected nations in shared humanitarian purpose,” Thongsavan said.
Timor-Leste’s decision demonstrated solidarity within the Asean family and strengthened international efforts to promote peace, security and humanitarian principles, he added.
The move follows efforts by Laos, as President of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, to encourage more countries to support the treaty.
Laos hosted a regional workshop for Asia and the Pacific in Vientiane from May 27-29, while a second workshop for Africa took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from June 4-5.
The workshops raised awareness of the dangers posed by cluster munitions and encouraged countries to consider becoming parties to the Convention.
Thongsavan welcomed Timor-Leste’s decision as a sign of regional solidarity, saying it brought countries closer to the shared goal of a world free from the threat of cluster munitions.
For Laos, one of the countries most heavily affected by unexploded ordnance left from past conflicts, the decision carries particular significance.
Timor-Leste’s move also adds momentum to efforts to increase the number of States Parties to the Convention and strengthen global cooperation on disarmament.
The Convention on Cluster Munitions was adopted by 107 states in Dublin on May 30, 2008, and opened for signature in Oslo on December 3 that year. It became binding international law when it entered into force on August 1, 2010.
According to information on its website, 123 states have committed to the Convention’s goals.
The Third Review Conference, which takes the theme “Accelerating Progress Towards a World Free from the Threat of Cluster Munitions”, is taking place in Vientiane from September 14-18.
The conference reviews the progress made over the past five years and sets priorities for the next stage of international efforts to eliminate the threat of cluster munitions.
Participants will also consider and adopt the Vientiane Capital Action Plan on the Convention on Cluster Munitions for 2027-2031.
The five-year plan focuses on faster and safer survey and clearance of unexploded ordnance, risk education, sustainable support for victims, and stronger and more predictable international cooperation and assistance. - Vientiane Times/ANN
