Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message, as delivered by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), to the third review conference of the States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, in Vientiane today:
I congratulate the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for hosting this important Conference. Having experienced firsthand the devastating legacy of cluster munitions, your country has been a leader in championing the Convention on Cluster Munitions and conveying its clear and enduring message: cluster munitions have no place in our world.
They kill and injure civilians indiscriminately — often children at play or making their way to or from school. And their consequences haunt people and communities for generations. Long after conflicts end, these weapons claim lives, destroy livelihoods and hamper sustainable development. I deeply regret reports that some countries have reincorporated these abhorrent weapons into their arsenals.
The Convention represents a simple promise: to spare civilians from suffering. Since its adoption in 2008, its achievements speak for themselves — stockpiles destroyed, land cleared and lives rebuilt. Yet, much remains to be done.
Countries must strengthen political commitment and scale up resources to clear contaminated land and support survivors. The humanitarian norm enshrined in this Convention must be safeguarded and reinforced. And I urge all States Parties to continue fully implementing their obligations and encourage States that have not joined the Convention to do so without delay.
A world free of cluster munitions is within our reach. Let us commit the resources, renew our resolve and act decisively to secure a safer future for all.