Second International Pledging Conference for Implementation of the Convention concludes in Geneva

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36 States Parties, 2 States not party and 9 international and non-governmental organizations participated in the conference led by Austria.

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Download or view photos of the Pledging Conference

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For information purposes only (official report to be published separately)

Geneva, 3 March 2017 – Austria, in its role as the Presidency of the Convention, has successfully led the Second International Pledging Conference for Implementation of the Convention. The second annual conference sought to secure funding for the Convention's Implementation Support Unit (ISU), the Sponsorship Programme and mine action in general.

The Pledging Conference, led by the Convention's President H.E. Thomas Hajnoczi Ambassador of Austria to the UN in Geneva, saw the participation of H.E. Michael Linhart Vice Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria (photo at left), and H.E. Motome TAKISAWA, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan (photo at right).

In total, 36 States Parties, 2 States not party and 9 international and non-governmental organizations attended the 28 February meeting that took place at the United Nations in Geneva.*

Financial pledges to fund the work of the the ISU, which relies solely on voluntary contributions, were received — including some on a multi-annual basis.

Nineteen (19) States Parties: Algeria, Australia, Austria, Canada, Belgium, Estonia, France, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom pledged financial or political support to the ISU, the Sponsorship Programme or to international cooperation and assistance.

The European Union also presented a pledge on behalf of its Member States to support the implementation of Maputo Action Plan commitments for 10 States Parties.

Other international and non-governmental organizations also presented political pledges and/or recommendations for implementation of the Convention including the GICHD, Handicap International, the ICRC, the ICBL, MAG, and UNDP.

Several of these organizations coincided in that sustained, continued and efficient funding will be needed in order to meet the Convention's ambition of a mine-free world by 2025.

Some organizations highlighted the imperative to address new contamination in emergency settings including in the Middle East, and reminded the Conference that the commitment among donors and national authorities in conjunction with civil society achieves results on the ground.

Sponsorship Programme

Australia in its capacity as Coordinator of the Sponsorship Programme, informed that the programme is in dire need of funds. 

Australia indicated that with the generous support of Austria, Chile, France, Switzerland and Turkey, 19 delegates received sponsorship to attend the annual meeting of the Convention in 2016.

The number of sponsored delegates last year was much lower than in 2015, when 30 delegates received sponsorship. Australia indicated that if no additional funds are received, the number of delegates could drop even further, as low as 10, in 2017.

“There are at least twenty least developed and low income countries implementing core obligations under the Convention which would benefit from sponsorship support to send delegates to meetings in 2017.

On current projections, the Programme will require at least an additional CHF 40,000 to support this minimum number of sponsored delegates.”

It is expected that additional appeals will be made to the States Parties to fund the Sponsorship Programme which has not yet been fully funded for 2017.

*Full list of attendees to be posted soon.

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For more information please contact the Convention's Implementation Support Unit: isu@apminebanconvention.org

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