Sudan elected as chair of the Ottawa Treaty

Khartoum -- The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Ms. Gwi-Yeop Son congratulates the people of Sudan and the Transitional Government for the election of the country as chair of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, also known as Ottawa Treaty, during the 4th Review Conference of the Convention held in Oslo from 25 to 29 November 2019 attended by 164 Member States, UN agencies and civil societies.

Sudan will be responsible for promoting universal adherence to the convention while ensuring the implementation of the convention by the member states and the newly adopted Oslo Action Plan during its presidency in the coming 12 months. Additionally, Sudan will preside over the 18th Meeting of States Parties in November 2020 in Geneva.

During the review conference, H.E. Lt. Gen Jamal Aldin Omar, Minister of Defence, highlighted Sudan’s commitment towards the obligations under the Convention and appreciated support from the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), donor countries, Implementing Support Unit, INGOs and other mine action partners.

H.E. Osman Abufatima Adam Mohammed, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Sudan to the United Nations in Geneva and the President of the Eighteenth Meeting of States Parties highlighted the six areas that Sudan will focus on during its presidency: universalization of the convention; stockpile destruction; demining; victim assistance; compliance with the convention; funding for the convention’s meetings, and implementation of Oslo Action Plan.

The Republic of Sudan has been a state party to the Ottawa Treaty since 2004, and met Article 4 obligations of destroying all stockpile of Anti-Personnel mines in March 2008. Sudan obtained the second extension to comply with its Article 5 obligations to clear all known landmines by April 2023.

“Thanks to strong coordination between the National Mine Action Centre and UNMAS, and generous contributions from multiple donor countries and Sudan, substantial achievement has been made to release 80 % out of the recorded land affected with explosive ordnance,” says Ms. Son.

“With this, South Kordofan, West Kordofan and Blue Nile states remain affected with landmines and ERW, which will require continuous support from donor and UN community until Sudan meets its obligations under the Convention,” she concludes.