10.f. Universalizing the ConventionThe President provided an update on the status of universalization of the Convention. The following delegations shared views or information on matters concerning universalization: United States of America, Japan, Canada, France, Croatia, ICRC, ICBL, Turkey, Jordan, in its capacity as the Convention’s Special Envoy, Mexico, Austria, Guatemala, UNMAS and Ireland. 10.g. Transparency and the exchange of informationThe President presented an update on transparency and the exchange of information and encouraged States Parties to make use of the Guide to reporting when preparing their annual transparency reports. The following delegations shared views or information on matters concerning transparency, including on mines retained for permitted purposes under Article 3: Brazil, Australia, the ICBL and UNMAS. 10.h. Implementation Support10.h.i. Report on the activities, functioning and finances of the ISU and presentation of a work plan and a budget for the 2017 activities of the ISUThe ISU Director presented the ISU work plan and budget 2017 and the 15MSP adopted this document.
The following delegation shared views on matters concerning the ISU work plan and budget 2017: Hungary, Cambodia, Canada, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey and Sweden. In addition, the ISU Director presented the interim 2016 report on activities and finances and the audited annual financial report for 2015. The 15MSP approved these documents.
10.h.ii. Other matters concerning implementation supportThe meeting considered a number of other matters concerning implementation support, including dates for the intersessional meetings in 2017, new Committee members and the Convention's Sponsorship Programme. The 15MSP agreed that the 2017 intersessional meetings will take place on 8–9 June 2017. In keeping with its mandate, the 15MSP President consulted with States Parties to identify a list of nominees to serve as new Committee members following the 15MSP. The meeting agreed on the following proposal:
In addition, Australia, in its capacity as Coordinator of the Sponsorship Programme provided an update on the Sponsorship Programme. 11. Panel on Gender and Mine ActionA panel on Gender and Mine Action featured the participation of the Minister of Women and gender Equality of Chile, Claudia Pascual, the Assistant Director, Conventional Weapons Section, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Tanya Parkin, the Director of the Department of Mine Clearance of the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority, Mohammad Shafiq Yosufi, the representative of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Aisha Saeed, the Director of the Gender and Mine Action Programme, Ariana Calza Bini and the representative of the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, Adriana Quiñonez. During this panel, the meeting had the opportunity to learn about key aspects of gender considerations in mine action and learn from States on how integrating gender considerations into mine action activities positively affected their programmes. 12. Consideration of requests submitted under Article 5The meeting took decisions on the requests for extended mine clearance deadlines which had been submitted by Niger, Ecuador and Peru.
13. Consideration of matters arising from/in the context of reports submitted under Article 7No delegation took the floor under this agenda item. 14. Consideration of requests submitted under Article 8No delegation took the floor under this agenda item. 15. Date, duration, location and Presidency of the Sixteenth Meeting of the States Parties, and matters pertaining to the preparations for the Sixteenth MeetingThe 15MSP agreed to hold the 16MSP in Vienna, Austria the week of 18 December 2017 and that H.E. Thomas Hajnoczi, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva, be designated to preside over the 16MSP. The meeting also noted with appreciation the offer by Afghanistan to preside over the Seventeenth Meeting of the States Parties in 2017. 16. Any other businessNo delegation took the floor under this agenda item. 17. Consideration and adoption ofthe final documentThe meeting adopted the final report of the 15MSP. 18. Closure of the Fifteenth Meeting of the States PartiesThe 15MSP President delivered closing remarks. |