Cartagena - States party to the Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-personnel Mines have renewed their commitment to end the suffering caused by these weapons by adopting a five-year action plan to clear mined areas, assist mine victims and destroy all remaining stockpiles.
Their commitment came at the recent Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has hailed the plan as an important step forward, but emphasized that much difficult work lies ahead.
ICRC’s Vice-President Christine Beerli told the summit that "despite 10 years of implementation the hopes that most landmine survivors had for the Convention have still not been fulfilled."
She welcomed the strong commitments made to victims in the Cartagena Action Plan but cautioned that "the more difficult task of turning words into tangible benefits for victims remains."
The Plan commits States to expand health and social services for victims, and to promote respect for their rights and dignity. |
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