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Towards a Mine Free Pacific | 3-4 May 2007 | Port Vila

THURSDAY 3 MAY

1. Welcome and opening statements

  • Statement delivered on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Vanuatu PDF 113KB
  • John Sullivan, Assistant Secretary of the Arms Control Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia PDF 13KB
  • Ambassador Stephan Nellen, Director of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining PDF 18KB

2. An overview of implementation and participation challenges

  • An overview of the Convention’s core aims and how they relate to the States Parties and States not parties in the Pacific (Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the AP Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit) PDF 1MB
  • The human suffering caused by anti-personnel mines and the importance of universal acceptance of the Convention (Mary Wareham, Landmine Monitor Research Coordinator for the Pacific, International Campaign to Ban Landmines) PDF 1.7MB

3. Good practices in the establishment of national implementing legislation

  • An overview of the main elements of good national implementing legislation (Christopher Harland, Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross) PDF 787KB
  • A case study in the establishment of legislation (Stephen Wong, Policy Officer, International Security and Disarmament Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand) PDF 37KB
  • An example of administrative measures to ensure domestic compliance with the Convention (Ada Cheung, Arms Control Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia) PDF 61KB

4. Practical means to comply with transparency reporting obligations

  • An overview of Article 7 reporting obligations and means to fulfil them (Sophie Delfolie, AP Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit) PDF 335KB
  • Updates from PIF States Parties on problems, plans, progress and priorities for assistance in preparing transparency reports

5. National responses to eliminating emplaced anti-personnel mines and dealing with the problems caused by other explosive remnants of war

  • Good practices in the establishment of national mine clearance and explosive ordnance disposal response (Ambassador Stephan Nellen, Director of the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining) PDF 1.5MB
  • The international legal framework for the elimination of emplaced mines and for addressing problems caused by other explosive remnants of war. (Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the AP Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit) PDF 64KB
  • Update from Vanuatu on its situation as it concerns its obligations under the AP Mine Ban Convention concerning emplaced anti-personnel mines and problems caused by other explosive remnants of war. (Captain Arnold Vira, Vanuatu Paramilitary Forces) PDF 255KB

6. Towards universal acceptance of the Convention in the Pacific

  • Overcoming unique challenges to acceding to the Convention / Updates from PIF States not parties on steps they are taking towards ratification of / accession to the Convention

FRIDAY 4 MAY

7. An overview of current issues in the life of the Convention

  • An overview of the status of the Convention and the States Parties’ 2005-2009 work programme (Kerry Brinkert, Manager of the AP Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit) PDF 470KB

8. Practical ways to overcoming implementation and participation challenges

The role of the United Nations Development Programme in supporting State capacity building

  • United Nations Development Programme (Justus Okoko, Regional Advisor for Mine Action and Small Arms) PDF 1MB

Summary of assistance that can be provided in overcoming implementation and participation challenges

  • Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (Ambassador Stephan Nellen, Director)
  • AP Mine Ban Convention Implementation Support Unit of the GICHD (Sophie Delfolie, Implementation Support Officer) PDF 249KB
  • International Committee of the Red Cross (Christopher Harland, Legal Advisor)

9. Lessons from the Ottawa Convention for other relevant instruments / issue areas

An overview of other humanitarian, arms control or disarmament instruments which may pose similar implementation and participation challenges for small States

  • International Humanitarian Law (Christopher Harland, Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross) PDF 592KB
  • Reporting and other obligations with regard to old chemical weapons (Ada Cheung, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia) PDF 372KB

10. Chair’s summary and closing remarks

  • The Vanuatu Workshop Brochure PDF 3MB