INTERSESSIONAL MEETINGS OF THE STATES PARTIES OF THE AP MINE BAN CONVENTION

In the period from June 18 to 21, 2024, in Geneva, at the headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intersessional Meetings of the State Parties of the AP Mine Ban Convention were held, as well as the First Preparatory Meeting of the Fifth Review Conference.

At the meetings, which were attended by delegations from over 100 countries, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations, the achieved results, remaining obligations and challenges ahead for each of the participating countries in achieving the global goal – a mine free and victim free world have been presented.

A report was submitted on the progress of the Republic of Serbia in fulfilling its obligations under Article 5 of the Convention, with special reference to the clearance of mines in the south of Serbia and the explanation of the request for an extension of the deadline for fulfilling the obligations under Article 5 of the Convention, which the Republic of Serbia submitted in March this year.

Namely, the deadline that expires on December 31, 2024, the Republic of Serbia is not able to meet, primarily because of the areas that were discovered after fires and explosions in 2019 and 2021 and for which the extent of contamination has yet to be defined through a non-technical survey project.

With the implementation of this project, which will also be accompanied by mine risk education in all inhabited places in this municipality, the areas contaminated by mines will be defined as a prerequisite for the development of a work plan and the implementation of demining projects on the remaining contaminated areas.

The Republic of Serbia once again underscored its full commitment to the Convention by committing to complete the demining of the remaining mined area, first of all, in order to protect its population, but also to reduce the economic and environmental damage caused by mines and explosive remnants of war.

To commentate the 25 years since the entry into force of the Convention, during the Intersessional Meetings, the Jet d’Eau fountain in Geneva was in the colors of the Convention’s flag.