Australia, New Zealand bring region together in support of Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and other treaties

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Over 50 delegates are gathered in New Zealand to discuss conventional weapons treaties and adherence in the Pacific

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Auckland, New Zealand - Under the auspices of Australia and New Zealand, the Pacific Conference on Conventional Weapons Treaties is underway in Auckland.

After a warm greeting that included a traditional Maori welcome and pressing of noses, the delegates representing more than a dozen States began the two day seminar on key disarmament treaties, including the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. 

H.E. Dell Higgie, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament of New Zealand, opened the Conference that also aims to look at challenges faced in ratifying, acceding and implementing conventional weapons treaties, and establishing networks to overcome these challenges in the Pacific.

During the 13-14 February Conference, States, including those not party, will be briefed on the state of play of the Convention in the Pacific, implications for the region, obligations of key relevance for those States that have joined, and assistance available.

States attending the Conference include Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Germany, Japan, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and international and non-governmental organisations including ICRC, Arms Control, Centre for Armed Violence Reduction, SaferWorld, and the Secretariats of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, Arms Trade Treaty, and Convention on Cluster Munitions.

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For more information, please contact: isu@apminebanconvention.org

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