The Ninth Meeting of States Parties (9MSP) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

The Ninth Meeting of States Parties (9MSP) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions was held place from 2 to 4 September 2019 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. PSALM/WVCBL has urged United States to send representation to this Meeting of States Parties.

During the three-day meeting States noted the Convention’s success in globally stigmatizing cluster munitions and preventing further civilian harm by these nefarious weapons, and the need to bring more countries on board immediately to achieve 130 States Parties by 2020 – a target set by States at the First Review Conference in 2015. States loudly condemned any use of cluster munitions, anywhere, by anyone. PSALM/WVCBL join in this condemnation of cluster munition use.

During the meeting, the 9MSP President, Aliyar Lebbe Abdul Azeez, officially handed over Presidency of the Convention to Swiss Ambassador, Félix Baumann. Switzerland will preside over the Convention’s Second Review Conference taking place in 2020.  

The Cluster Munition Coalition thanks the outgoing Presidency for their stewardship, and welcomes working with the Swiss Presidency in preparation for the Review Conference. 

To see the meeting agenda and States’ documents, visit the Convention on Cluster Munitions website.

Opening Statement By CMC 9th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions 2-4 September 2019

“Thank you, Mr. President. Dear friends–diplomats, representatives of civil society and intergovernmental organizations—with close to a decade of implementation and with its Second Review Conference rapidly approaching, I think we can agree the Convention on Cluster Munitions has come of age. Indeed, the Convention has established itself as an important international instrument that has helped to save lives, limbs and livelihoods. The CCM is also at a crucial juncture where new energy and commitment are needed to continue the successes of its first decade. At this moment, as Convention stakeholders, we need to ask ourselves some critical questions if we are serious about achieving a cluster-munition free 2030. • How do we feel about the slow rate of universalization? • Are our stigmatization efforts sufficient? • How do we feel about the shrinking resources available for Meetings of States Parties? Are the Convention and its community living up to the hopes and aspirations expressed on 23 February 2007 when the Oslo Process was launched and later captured in the text of the Convention? Mr. President, as time is of the essence in these two days of official work in the 9MSP, I will ask a final question: How does the commitment to Convention implementation and universalization reflect a larger commitment by the international community to the advancement of humanitarian disarmament and multilateralism in general? At the Cluster Munition Coalition, we are convinced that with strengthened political will and increased financial resources, the Convention on Cluster Munitions has great potential to deliver on its promises and to remain an important example of International Humanitarian Law that works. We look forward to working with you all to this end, here and in the lead up to the Second Review Conference. Thank you“