First Preparatory Meeting of the Fifth Review Conference of the Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention

Mr. President,

At the outset, I would like to express the Holy See’s appreciation for the intense work that Cambodia has been undertaking in preparation for the Fifth Review Conference. We look forward to a successful and outcome-oriented meeting in Siem Reap later in November.

Recalling the 25^th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines, Pope Francis recently reiterated “his closeness to the many victims of these insidious devices that remind us of the dramatic cruelty of wars, and the price [that] civilian populations are forced to bear.”[1]

Mr. President,

Amidst the tragedy of ongoing conflicts, anti-personnel landmines and victim-activated explosive devices continue to be used by some States and armed groups. With great concern, we continue to observe the indiscriminate spread of such weapons in the context of the conflict in Ukraine[2] and also in Syria and Myanmar.

Conflicts, in and of themselves, already represent a failure of humanity to live “as a single human family, as fellow travelers sharing the same flesh […] brothers and sisters all”[3], a failure to “preserve the dignity [we] have received as a loving gift from God”[4]. To that failure, anti-personnel landmines add an additional sense of fear that disrupts livelihoods and prevents reconciliation, peace and integral development, with civilians always bearing the brunt of the suffering.[5] For these reasons, the Holy See strongly urges all States that have not yet done so to accede to the Convention, and in the meantime, to halt the production and use of landmines without delay.

The human cost of landmines is staggering. With utmost concern, we note that there has been an increase in the number of victims. We do not need new victims. Men, women and children are being killed or maimed. Children lose their limbs. Parents lose their children. When this happens, all of us lose because human life is sacred.

Mr. President,

With regard to the drafting of the Action Plan and the Political Declaration to be adopted by the Fifth Review Conference, this Delegation wishes to make the following three recommendations:

1) It is essential to fully consider the voice and participation of the victims so as to address their needs appropriately and effectively. Indeed, from the perspective of the victims, due respect for the agreed deadlines means much more than fulfilling legal obligations; it is a way to uphold and reaffirm their dignity. In this spirit, legal obligations must be respected with renewed urgency and perseverance, through sincere cooperation and solidarity.

2) As has been said time and time again, a world free of landmines is not a world free from victims. It is fundamental to continue placing the human person at the center of our joint efforts and thus guarantee a form of assistance which is integral. In order for such assistance to be fit-for-purpose, it must take into account the multiple needs and varying contexts of victims, including their full rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration, as well as psychological and spiritual care. Among such various needs, this Delegation proposes to consider including commitments to making prostheses more affordable for victims, through innovative partnerships and international cooperation.

3) It will be important to adopt language and actions that are clear and concrete rather than employing vague terminology such as the expression “gender and diversity”, which lacks an agreed definition and has proven to be non-consensual terminology in several other fora. In this regard, we appreciate your intention of implementing an inclusive approach in the process of developing the key substantive documents that will be adopted by the Fifth Review Conference.

Mr. President,

There is a strong connection between demining, assistance to victims, development and peacebuilding. Therefore, the Holy See wishes to echo Pope Francis’ appeal to combat the “throwaway culture” and to promote instead a culture of “integral inclusion”, by forging and consolidating the bonds of belonging within society, based on the universal and inalienable dignity of every human person, with its rights and duties. Such bonds become even stronger when victims are not simply passive receivers but take an active part in the life of society as agents of change. For this to be effective, it is important that, at the national level, there be clear policies for and coordination of the various aspects of victims’ assistance. It is likewise necessary to support civil society, including faith-based organizations, since without their networks of solidarity, in many places people would be left to themselves.[6]

Thank you, Mr. President.