Canada's statement to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention 5th Review Conference

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Siem Reap, Cambodia, November 25, 2024

Delivered by Ian McKay, Canada’s Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific

Mr. President, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Dear Colleagues,

I join others today in congratulating Cambodian Senior Minister and First Vice-President of the Cambodian Mine Action Authority H.E. Ly Thuch as President of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, or as we call it, the Ottawa Convention. I would like to express Canada’s utmost support for your Presidency and our deep appreciation for all your work in the lead up to this momentous Fifth Review Conference, 25 years after the Convention’s entry into force. We are thrilled to be here and have the opportunity to address you, your team, and our distinguished colleagues here today.

Mr. President,

Despite the numerous challenges we face today in the fight to preserve peace and security, international humanitarian law, and the norms established by the multilateral disarmament framework, it is crucial that we reaffirm our commitment to humanitarian disarmament treaties. The Ottawa Convention is one such instrument that has great political significance to Canada, and our support for the goals and objectives of the treaty remain unchanged. But the Ottawa Convention has unfortunately not been immune to recent challenges. Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in the use of anti-personnel landmines, donor fatigue, and efforts to universalize the Convention have stalled.  

Let me be clear—these challenges are driven by geopolitical crises caused by states acting in violation of the basic principles of the UN Charter. Canada strongly condemns Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. This war violates the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, and the security assurances given by Russia to Ukraine in the Budapest Memorandum. Russia’s illegal invasion has led to a rise in the use of weapons that for years the international community has sought to eliminate—these include cluster munitions, anti-personnel landmines, and riot control agents that are being used as weapons. States that have been subject to Russian threats, or an invasion by Russia, have been forced to act out of necessity, not by choice. We must acknowledge that the blame lies with the invader, not the invaded.

Mr. President,

Since the last Review Conference, international organizations have conducted excellent research that has shone a spotlight on two particular issues that have not been sufficiently addressed in our mine action efforts to date—the environment, and mental health aspects of victim assistance. Canada is therefore pleased to see Cambodia’s presidency prioritize both of these issues in the Siem Reap – Angkor Plan of Action. Mine action must take into account effects on the environment and impacts on local communities, and victim assistance needs to include mental health and psycho-social considerations. As we know, not all victims of landmines have visible injuries. No one should have to experience the anxiety caused by landmines, and more needs to be done to address these unseen effects.

Despite success in advancing these areas, we have noticed a worrying decline in the importance afforded to gender in the implementation of these disarmament treaties. Women must be involved at every stage of peace processes, as well as in disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation efforts. Women also bear the brunt of the social, economic, and familial burdens placed on civilians in conflict and post-conflict zones. This is why Canada is proud of the efforts undertaken to streamline gender into all areas of the Ottawa Convention.

Mr. President,

Cambodia’s commitment to a mine free world is inspirational. That is why Canada, through its Weapons Threat Reduction Program, is pleased to announce two new projects to support mine action in the region, which will be funded under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

The first is a $1.1 million project over two years to support The HALO Trust to provide direct mine clearance support in Cambodia. This includes surveying potentially contaminated areas, delivering explosive ordnance risk education to impacted populations, and promoting the implementation of the Ottawa Convention in Cambodia and globally in the context of the 5^th Review Conference. 

The second is a $1 million, three-year project to support the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining to provide capacity-building assistance to the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Centre. The project will strengthen the Centre’s role as an expert hub for mine action expertise among ASEAN member states, and directly respond to the identified need for sustainable capacity enhancement. 

In closing, although the world faces numerous challenges and uncertainty, our goal must be to reaffirm our commitment to humanitarian disarmament and international humanitarian law, and return to a path towards global peace and security for all.

I thank you.