Global landmine meeting ends with success stories and a recommitment

Saturday, December 03, 2011

Phnom Penh, 2 December 2011 – The global landmine meeting that gathered more than 1,000 delegates in Phnom Penh closed today marking impressive progress toward a mine-free world and with a strong recommitment to overcome remaining challenges.

“The Eleventh Meeting of the States Parties (11MSP) to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention has been a huge success,” said H.E. PRAK Sokhonn, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister of Cambodia and 11MSP President. “We drew strength from this movement’s past to make an equally strong commitment to the future. We remain focused on ending the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines.”

In the 11MSP’s final report, the Convention’s 158 States Parties’ agreed “to recommit, even in difficult financial times, to realising a world without anti-personnel mines, where the rights of all are respected and where all women, girls, boys and men can live in dignity and prosperity.”

While global economic challenges weighed heavily on the minds of delegates, H.E. PRAK Sokhonn issued a strong appeal for the international community to honour its promise to support the Convention’s aims. “We agreed, without deadline or expiry date, to cooperation and assist one another in achieving the vision of this landmark humanitarian instrument,” said H.E. “While responsible governments must not turn their back on financial realities, equally we must not default on our obligations.”