Open Debate - mine action and sustaining peace: stronger partnerships for better delivery

New York, 8 April 2021

Canada would first like to thank the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam for organizing this Open Debate, which will allow us to reflect on the new challenges posed by landmines, explosive remnants of war (ERW) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to civilians, peacekeepers, humanitarian personnel and mine action personnel. It also provides an occasion to discuss the role of the Security Council in mine action.

Canada expresses its deep concern about the fact that, according to the Landmine Monitor, 2019 was the fifth year in a row with high numbers of recorded casualties (over 5,500 worldwide) due to the indiscriminate use of antipersonnel mines and antivehicle mines, including from cluster munitions remnants, other ERW, and a significant number from improvised mines. The use of improvised mines has resulted in a high number of casualties in recent years, with the vast majority of victims being civilians, including many children.

Canada condemns any use of improvised explosive devices by any actor. We recall that anti-personnel mines are defined under the Ottawa Treaty based on how they are triggered; they are “designed to be exploded by the presence, proximity or contact of a person and that will incapacitate, injure or kill one or more persons”, and not defined based on their method of fabrication. This means that the Convention applies to all anti-personnel mines, whether improvised or factory-made. With this understanding in mind, Canada calls on all States to formally declare anti-personnel mines of an improvised nature to be under the Convention, where they fall under the definitions in Article 2 of the Ottawa Treaty.

Moreover, Canada actively advocates for an inclusive approach to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, including engagement of youth and the full, equal and meaningful participation of women. We also apply a gender lens in all programming activities related to disarmament and arms control. In that sense, we believe that women’s participation in conducting mine risk education, surveying, community liaison and clearance work is essential to gain access to population segments otherwise inaccessible to male-only teams. In accordance with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, we urge States to fully integrate gender considerations into mine action efforts and ensure that mine clearance, risk education and victim assistance programs take into account the human rights and needs of all women and girls.

Canada remains a strong supporter of the Treaty and its goals, as demonstrated by our engagement in the Treaty’s activities and by Canada’s $450 million contribution to mine action around the world over the last two decades [1999-2021]. Among our commitments, Canada provides institutional support to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and to the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), which includes support to the implementation support units of both the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).

We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to deepen our involvement in mine action. Canada will continue advocating for the universalization of the Ottawa Treaty, and focus our efforts on the ambitious pursuit of the 2025 goal of a world free of anti-personnel mines. We will only succeed on the strength of our collective efforts.

Finally, Canada is aware that the mine action community has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We remain committed to contribute as much as we can and to keep working with our partners in order to help them overcome these challenges.