Photo: SwissTech Convention Center

23–27 November 2020, Lausanne

Second Review Conference (2RC)

In the lead up to the Second Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2RC), the following informal briefings were held:

Informal virtual briefing by 2RC President

President of the CCM 2nd Review Conference (2RC), H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament, hosted an informal virtual briefing on 8 June 2020 to update the CCM community on the process towards the Review Conference.

Ambassador Baumann informed that the First Preparatory Meeting would be an all-day meeting potentially on 29 June 2020 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. In consideration of Swiss national guidelines on gathering and travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 situation, the First Preparatory Meeting of the 2RC that was scheduled for 8 June 2020 had to be postponed to a later date. A silence procedure to confirm the new date will be held this week. In keeping with national safety measures, options on the nature of this meeting were still being considered and would likely permit only one person per delegation or entity to attend the First Preparatory Meeting physically. To optimize inclusivity and productivity, the Meeting would be webcast for the benefit of those delegation members unable to be present in the conference room. Interpretation services in all six UN languages would also be made available for all participants.

During the briefing, the President provided an update on the three main documents of the 2RC: the Review Document, the Lausanne Action Plan (LAP) and the Political Declaration. He reminded that the first draft of the Review Document had already been circulated and that the numerous comments received on the Document were being incorporated. A revised version would be shared at a later date. A zero draft of the LAP was being developed by the presidency taking into consideration the comments provided by the CCM community and would serve as a basis for discussion at the First Preparatory Meeting. As the LAP will be a crucial tool for CCM implementation for the next five years, consultations on it would continue to be held up to the Second Preparatory Meeting scheduled for 4 September 2020. Elements of the Political Declaration would be presented ahead of the Second Preparatory Meeting for a substantial discussion during that Meeting. The three documents will be presented at the 2RC for adoption by CCM States Parties.

The First Preparatory Meeting would also start to consider institutional matters concerning the machinery of the Convention, implementation support and its financing as well as the financing of the Convention. The President assured that the Programme of Work would be circulated as soon as possible.

Ambassador Baumann was pleased to announce that the 2RC would be convened at the SwissTech Convention Center from 23 to 27 November 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland. He stated that the presidency, in partnership with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), would launch a public photo exhibition in August to showcase the impact of cluster munitions. The exhibition would take place in several cities around Switzerland.

Briefing by the CCM President on holding the 2RC Part 2

President of the 2nd Review Conference (2RC), H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament, held a virtual briefing on 18 June 2021 to provide an update on the process in the lead up to the hosting of Part 2 of the 2RC.

Ambassador Baumann reminded that due to the COVID-19 situation, States Parties to the Convention had agreed for the 2RC to take place in two parts. Part 1 was held in virtual format on 25-27 November 2020 and Part 2 has been further postponed until the health situation allows for the holding of the Conference in hybrid format. Since the beginning of the year, the President has continuously monitored the situation and provided States Parties with regular updates through letters.

The recent easing of gathering restrictions that came into effect on 31 May 2021 allows for conferences organized by international organizations to take place as long as certain conditions are met, such as occupying a maximum of half of the available seats in the venue and maintaining a minimum distance of 1.5 metres between each seat. The Swiss Presidency had worked with the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) to explore options for dates to conclude the Review Conference before the summer holidays. Unfortunately, due to various logistical obstacles, no feasible dates could be obtained during this period.

After consultation with the Coordination Committee, Ambassador Baumann affirmed that the most realistic option would be to hold the 2RC Part 2 during the week originally foreseen for the 10th Meeting of States Parties (10MSP), potentially on 20-21 September 2021, as a room had already been reserved for the event. A silence procedure to confirm the proposed new dates of the Conference will be held soon, followed by another briefing by the President in late August or early September.

Informal briefing by the 2RC President

President of the 2nd Review Conference, H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament, held an informal briefing on 27 August 2021 to provide information on the organization of Part 2 of the 2RC and update on the process in the lead up to the Conference. The briefing was held in hybrid format at the Palais des Nations where remote participation was also made possible.

During the briefing, Ambassador Baumann instructed on the programme of the 2RC Part 2, which States Parties have agreed by silence procedure to convene in hybrid format on 20-21 September 2021. He advised that the Conference will be held in 3 two-hour sessions each day (10:00-12:00 hrs, 13:00-15:00 hrs and 16:00-18:00 hrs) and that the high-level segment will be taking place during the first session of the Conference. Furthermore, he informed that the Article 4 extension requests of Afghanistan, Chile and Mauritania will be considered at the Conference.

Ambassador Baumann further notified that informal consultations will be held with CCM stakeholders on 6 and 13 September 2021 ahead of the 2RC Part 2 and that details of the meetings will be communicated by the Secretariat in due time.

Two formal preparatory meetings were also convened:

The Ninth Meeting of States Parties (9MSP) elected H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament, as President of the Second Review Conference (2RC). The 9MSP also decided to convene two meetings in preparation for the 2RC, a full day each in Geneva on 8 June and 4 September 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 situation, States Parties agreed that the First Preparatory Meeting be postponed to 29 June 2020. The Meeting was held that day at the Palais des Nations under national precautionary measures that limited the number of participants per delegation and required every person in the conference room to wear a face mask. For the benefit of those not able to be present in the room, the First Preparatory Meeting was webcast in all six official languages of the United Nations. The video recordings are available on UN Web TV: Part I and Part II

All conference documents, including the Final Report and the List of Participants, can be found on the UNOG web page for the Meeting.

MONDAY 29 JUNE 2020

Opening of the Meeting

President of the Second Review Conference (2RC), H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament gave the opening address

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.1/1 – Provisional agenda

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.1/WP.2 Draft provisional agenda for the Second Review Conference

CCM/MSP/2010/3 Rules of procedure 

Vice-Presidents of the 2RC

The Netherlands, Germany, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka were recommended as Vice-Presidents of the 2RC

Exchange of views on the preparation of documents for the Second Review Conference:

(a) Review of the operation and status of the Convention 2016-2020

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.1/WP.3 – Draft Review Document of the Dubrovnik Action Plan

Chile
European Union
Italy
Colombia
Mexico
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Lebanon
Japan
Germany
Lao PDR
Belgium
Ireland
Spain
Austria

(b) Lausanne Action Plan

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.1/WP.4 – Elements for the Lausanne Action Plan

Ecuador
Italy
The Philippines
Norway
The Netherlands
UNMAS
ICRC
Colombia

Cross-cutting elements
United Kingdom
Chile
Mexico
The Netherlands
GICHD

CMC
Sweden
Japan
Australia
Belgium

Universalization
Italy
United Kingdom
Switzerland
Japan
Germany
Spain
The Philippines
Mexico
Lithuania
Sweden
Chile
Austria
ICRC
CMC

Stockpile destruction
The Netherlands
ICRC
CMC

Survey and clearance
Colombia
United Kingdom
Switzerland
Chile
Sweden
The Netherlands
CMC
GICHD
ICRC

Risk reduction education
United Kingdom
Colombia
ICRC
Sweden
CMC

Victim assistance
Colombia
Italy
United Kingdom
Chile
Mexico
ICRC
CMC

International cooperation and assistance
Colombia
Italy
United Kingdom
Peru
The Philippines
Chile
Switzerland
The Netherlands
Sweden
Montenegro
GICHD

Transparency measures
Iraq
Colombia
Mexico
Switzerland
United Kingdom
The Netherlands
Chile
GICHD

National implementation measures
New Zealand
ICRC
CMC

Possible additional section on general implementation and
the machinery
Italy
CMC
Chile

(c) Lausanne political declaration

(d) Implementation support

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.1/WP.5Elements for discussion on institutional aspects of the Implementation Support Unit

United Kingdom
Italy
The Netherlands
New Zealand
Germany

Status of assessed contributions to the Second Review Conference

UNODA gave an update on the level of contributions to the Second Review Conference

Updates on logistical and administrative matters

The 2RC President reminded the CCM community of the upcoming Second Preparatory Meeting and the Review Conference

Other matters

The ISU Director gave an update on the CCM Sponsorship Programme

Consideration and adoption of a procedural report of the Meeting

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.1/2 – Final report

Second Preparatory Meeting for the Second Review Conference

The Second Preparatory Meeting was a full-day Meeting held on 4 September 2020 in the General Assembly Hall at the Palais des Nations, Geneva. President of the Second Review Conference (2RC), H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann of Switzerland, chaired the Meeting.

Due to the COVID-19 situation, the Meeting was held under national precautionary measures that limited the number of participants per delegation and required every person in the conference room to wear a face mask. For the benefit of those not able to be present in the room, the Second Preparatory Meeting was webcast in all six official languages of the United Nations. The video recordings are available on UN Web TV: Part I and Part II

All conference documents, including the Final Report, can be found below or on the UNOG web page for the Meeting.

FRIDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2020

Opening of the Meeting

President of the Second Review Conference (2RC), H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament gave the opening address

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/1 Provisional agenda

CCM/MSP/2010/3 – Rules of procedure 

Exchange of views on the preparation of documents for the Second Review Conference:

(a) Review of the operation and status of the Convention 2016-2020

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.1 – Draft Review Document of the Dubrovnik Action Plan – Part I

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.2  Draft Review Document of the Dubrovnik Action Plan – Part II

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.3 – Draft Review Document of the Dubrovnik Action Plan – Implementation Support

The Philippines
Chile
Colombia

(b) Lausanne Action Plan

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.4 – Informal draft of the Lausanne Action Plan

Cuba
Germany
Mozambique
The Philippines
Italy
Holy See
Spain
Lao PDR
The Netherlands
Belgium
Japan
Australia
France
Chile
Austria
Mexico
ICRC
The HALO Trust
Sweden
Panama
Norway

Guiding principles and actions
Cuba
United Kingdom
Mozambique
Colombia
Germany
The Netherlands
The Philippines
Mexico
France
CMC
Panama

Univerzalisation of the Convention and its norms

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.8 – Ways forward on universalization of the CCM

Chile
Germany
Colombia
Cuba
ICRC
The Philippines
ICRC
CMC
Holy See
Chile
Germany

Stockpile destruction
Mexico
CMC
United Kingdom

Survey and clearance
United Kingdom
ICRC
Colombia
GICHD
CMC
Cuba

Risk education
Colombia
Cuba
CMC

Victim assistance
Italy
United Kingdom
CMC

International cooperation and assistance
Colombia
The Philippines
Norway
Chile
Cuba
Mozambique
GICHD
CMC
The Netherlands
Cuba
The Netherlands
Cuba

Transparency measures
Cuba
The Netherlands
United Kingdom

National implementation measures
The Netherlands
Chile
CMC

Measures to ensure compliance
Mexico
ICRC
Cuba
United Kingdom
CMC

(c) Lausanne Political Declaration

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.5 – Elements for a Political Declaration: Ten years of protecting lives, ten years towards completion

European Union
Mozambique
The Philippines
Italy
Colombia
Ecuador
New Zealand
Spain
The Netherlands
Lao PDR
Ireland
Germany
Austria
Chile
Mexico
Sweden
United Kingdom
Cuba
Panama
Lithuania
Norway
ICRC
CMC

(d) Implementation support

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.6  Reflections and options regarding the Convention’s machinery

Financial status of the Convention

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/WP.7 – Elements on possible measures to address the financial predictability and sustainability of United Nations assessed contributions

UNODA gave an update on the level of contributions to the Second Review Conference

Updates on logistical and administrative matters
A briefing on logistical and administrative matters related to the Second Review Conference was given

Other matters

Consideration and adoption of a procedural report of the Meeting

CCM/CONF/2020/PM.2/2 – Final report

The Second Review Conference was held in two parts:

Second part of the Second Review Conference

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Second Review Conference on the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2RC) was held in two parts: Part 1 on 25-27 November 2020 in virtual format and Part 2 on 20-21 September 2021 in hybrid format at the Palais des Nations, Geneva.

 

Presided by H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the Conference on Disarmament, the Conference reviewed the progress achieved on CCM implementation under the Dubrovnik Action Plan in 2015-2020. The 2RC adopted the Lausanne Action Plan to support CCM implementation in 2021-2026. Furthermore, States Parties adopted the Lausanne Declaration: Protecting Lives, Empowering Victims, Enabling Development to express their firm commitment to the Convention.

At the end of the 2RC, H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann handed over the Presidency of the Convention to H.E. Mr. Aidan Liddle, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the Conference on Disarmament, as the President of the Tenth Meeting of States Parties (10MSP), which is scheduled to take place from 30 August to 2 September 2022.

 

The Conference also designated H.E. Mr. Abdul-Karim Hashim Mostafa, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Iraq, as the President of the Eleventh Meeting of States Parties (11MSP), which is expected to be held in 2023.

All documents of the Conference can be found here and on the UNODA website, including the 2RC Final Report and List of Participants.

Video recordings of the Meeting are available on UN Web TV in all six official languages of the United Nations:

Delegates that have not done so are reminded to send their statements to info@cmconvention.org.

MONDAY 20 SEPTEMBER 2021

Opening of the Meeting

H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, President of the 2RC

Adoption of the programme of work (CCM/CONF/2021/4)

Reaffirming the determination to put an end to the suffering caused by cluster munitions

Mr. António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General

Video Player


Mr. Gilles Carbonnier,
Vice-President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
H.E. Mr. Johannes Matyassy, Deputy-State Secretary of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Branislav Kapetanović, representative of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC)

European Union
Italy
Ecuador
The Netherlands
Slovakia
Austria
Sweden
France
United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS)
Sri Lanka
Colombia

Introduction by the President of documents and draft decisions

(a) Review of the operation and status of the Convention 2016-2020: Review Document of the Dubrovnik Action Plan (CCM/CONF/2020/13)

(b) Lausanne Action Plan (CCM/CONF/2020/14)

(c) Lausanne Political Declaration (CCM/CONF/2020/WP.1)

(d) Document on matters pertaining to the ISU (CCM/CONF/2020/2/Rev.1)

 (e) Draft Final Document, based on the interim Final Document (CCM/CONF/2020/L.1)

Consideration of requests submitted under Article 4 of the Convention

Presentation of extension request submitted by Chile under Article 4 of the Convention (CCM/CONF/2021/1)
Chile – statement and presentation
The Netherlands as Chair of the Article 4 Analysis Group
Mine Action Review
CMC

Presentation of extension request submitted by Mauritania under Article 4 of the Convention (CCM/CONF/2021/2)
Mauritania
The Netherlands as Chair of the Article 4 Analysis Group
Mines Advisory Group (MAG)
France
CMC
Mine Action Review

Presentation of extension request submitted by Afghanistan under Article 4 of the Convention (CCM/CONF/2021/3)
Afghanistan
The Netherlands as Chair of the Article 4 Analysis Group
France
Spain
Mine Action Review
CMC

Reaffirming the determination to put an end to the suffering caused by cluster munitions (continued)
Chile
Peru
Bulgaria
Montenegro
Germany
Mexico
Uruguay
Ireland
New Zealand
Japan
Iraq
Croatia
Lebanon
United Kingdom
MAG
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD)
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) on behalf of the Gender and Diversity Working Group
Mine Action Review
NPA

TUESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2021

Reaffirming the determination to put an end to the suffering caused by cluster munitions (continued)
Norway
The Philippines

Consideration of requests submitted under Article 4 of the Convention

France
Sweden

Dates, duration and preparation of future meetings

H.E. Mr. Aidan Liddle, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Conference on Disarmament, was confirmed as President of the Tenth Meeting of States Parties (10MSP)

H.E. Mr. Abdul-Karim Hashim Mostafa, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, was designated as President of the Eleventh Meeting of States Parties (11MSP)

Adoption of the final documents

Review of the operation and status of the Convention 2016-2020: Review Document of the Dubrovnik Action Plan

Document on matters pertaining to the ISU
France
Canada
Japan

Lausanne Action Plan
Cuba

Lausanne Political Declaration

Final Report

Closure of the Second Review Conference
Mines Action Canada

H.E. Mr. Aidan Liddle, 10MSP President
H.E. Mr. Félix Baumann, 2RC President

All documents related to the Second Review Conference can be found here and on the UNODA website.