The Republic of Benin deposited its instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 10 July 2017. The Convention will enter into force for Benin on 1 January 2018.
Ambassador Biontino of the Federal Republic of Germany, President of the Seventh Meeting of States Parties (7MSP), warmly congratulates the Republic of Benin as the 102nd State Party to the CCM. The Ambassador continues to advocate that other States take the lead of Benin and as soon as possible to ratify or accede to the CCM.
The ratification of the Convention by the Republic of Benin draws the goal of 130 CCM States Parties by the Second Review Conference in 2020 much closer.
Date and venue
The Seventh Meeting of States Parties (7MSP) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) will take place from 4 to 6 September 2017 in Room XIX at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Registration
States, international and regional organizations and civil society members are welcomed to participate. Please register your interest and list all participants (with full names and titles, indicating the head of delegation). Letters/notes verbales need to arrive by Friday, 18 August 2017, via email (ccm@unog.ch) or hard copy at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). For more detailed information on the registration process, please click here.
Side events *NEW*
To make a request for a side event room during the 7MSP, send this form, duly filled, before Friday 18 August 2017 to info@cmconvention.org with a copy to ccm@unog.ch. Two rooms are available for side events: Room XXIII and Room XXIV, each with a capacity of a maximum of 260 persons. Please note that your request will be confirmed later by the 7MSP Team depending on room availability and other scheduling considerations.
Agenda: *NEW*
The provisional agenda can be downloaded here in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. For other documents click here. Kindly note that the documents are currently being translated and will gradually be uploaded, so check the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) website regularly.
The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) is an international treaty that addresses the humanitarian consequences and unacceptable harm to civilians caused by cluster munitions, through a categorical prohibition and a framework for action.
The Convention prohibits all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions. In addition, it establishes a framework for cooperation and assistance to ensure adequate care and rehabilitation to survivors and their communities, clearance of contaminated areas, risk reduction education and destruction of stockpiles.
Cluster munitions are unacceptable for two reasons. Firstly, they have wide area effects and are unable to distinguish between civilians and combatants. Secondly, the use of cluster munitions leave behind large numbers of dangerous unexploded ordnance. Such remnants kill and injure civilians, obstruct economic and social development, and have other severe consequences that persist for years and decades after use.
Adopted on 30 May 2008 in Dublin, Ireland and signed on 3-4 December 2008 in Oslo, Norway, the Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force on 01 August 2010. To date 119 states have committed to the goals of the Convention, of which 102 have become full States Parties and 17 are signatories.
Initial and annual transparency reports submitted by States Parties can be found here.
Full text versions of the Convention for download in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic.