GENEVA / ANTI-MINE BAN CONFERENCE

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan opened the first international pledging conference for the implementation of an anti- mine ban by stating that “the mine action community has now grown to include thousands of organizations throughout the world and encompassing the UN, civil society, business and of course more states.” UNTV CH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:59
• Production Date: 2 March 2016
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: KOFI ANNAN
• Subject Topical: MINE CLEARANCE
• MAMS Id: 1576225
• Parent Id: 1576225
• Alternate Title: unifeed160302f

Description

STORY: GENEVA / ANTI-MINE BAN CONFERENCE
TRT: 02:02
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 2 MARCH 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

RECENT, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations

2 MARCH 2016, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

2. Wide shot, conference room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kofi Annan, Former UN Secretary-General:
“The mine action community has now grown to include thousands of organisations throughout the world and encompassing the UN, civil society, business and of course more states. Their work has largely halted the production and trade in landmines. Collectively, the States parties have destroyed almost 50 million stockpiled anti-personnel mines.”
4. Close up, Peter Maurer
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Möller, Director-General UN Office Geneva:
“Explosive remnants of war prevent farmers from cultivating their land and deprive people of their livelihoods. They prevent hospitals from being rebuilt and children from reaching their schools safely. They hinder the delivery of humanitarian relief and the safe deployment of peacekeeping operations. Demining seen in its broader dimension becomes an issue of peace, rights and wellbeing of the people living in areas of current or past conflict.”
6. Wide shot, conference room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Peter Maurer, President of International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC):
“30 States still have obligations under the Convention to clear anti-personnel mines from their territory, 29 States with significant numbers of anti-personnel mine victims must ensure measurable improvements of access to services. Adequate national demining strategies and strengthening public health care systems is therefore crucial. The ICRC will continue to focus and prioritise victim assistance; mine risk education, risk reduction through programming and cooperation through those who have an experience to clearance”.
8. Close up, panellist listening
9. Two shot, panellists listening
10. Wide shot, conference room

Storyline

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan opened today in Geneva the “First International Pledging Conference for the Implementation of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention” by stating that “the mine action community has now grown to include thousands of organisations throughout the world and encompassing the UN, civil society, business and of course more states. Their work has largely halted the production and trade in landmines," Mr. Annan said. "Collectively, the States parties have destroyed almost 50 million stockpiled anti-personnel mines”, he added.
The purpose of the Pledging Conference is to renew and strengthen commitment to the principles of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and to commit resources for implementation. More than US $ 600 million are invested every year in mine action in general, and implementation of the Convention is an important part of this effort.
The landmark treaty banning landmines, known as the Ottawa Convention, came into force in 1999 and has the support of 162 States. This includes most of the states that at one time used, stockpiled, produced or transferred anti-personnel mines.
For Michael Møller, head of the UN in Geneva, every pledge that’s made at the conference will be useful and help to secure long-term, sustainable progress. He said that “explosive remnants of war prevent farmers from cultivating their land and deprive people of their livelihoods. They prevent hospitals from being rebuilt and children from reaching their schools safely. They hinder the delivery of humanitarian relief and the safe deployment of peacekeeping operations. Demining seen in its broader dimension becomes an issue of peace, rights and wellbeing of the people living in areas of current or past conflict”.
In 2014, signatories to the convention committed to ensuring that by 2025 there would be no new mine victims in areas they controlled, and that survivors could participate equally in society. The pledging conference in Geneva illustrates the growing reach of the Ottawa landmines Convention. The issue received a boost in December last year when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution urging all States to support mine-affected States with reliable and predictable funding.

Peter Maurer, President of International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), reminded conference participants that “30 States still have obligations under the Convention to clear anti-personnel mines from their territory, 29 States with significant numbers of anti-personnel mine victims must ensure measurable improvements of access to services. Adequate national demining strategies and strengthening public health care systems is therefore crucial. The ICRC will continue to focus and prioritise victim assistance; mine risk education, risk reduction through programming and cooperation through those who have an experience to clearance”.

According to latest figures hundreds of thousands of victims from landmines, mostly civilians and especially children, with casualties continuing to occur at an average of ten a day.