EU Statement on International Cooperation and Assistance - Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention Intersessional Meeting Geneva, 17-20 June 2025 EU Statement on International Cooperation and Assistance  Madam Chair,I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The candidate countries Türkiye, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement. The EU and its Member States are committed to strengthening cooperation and assistance efforts and facilitating the fostering of partnerships for the effective implementation of the Convention. We acknowledge that mine action is central to stabilising and sustaining peace and security. Since anti-personnel mine contamination impedes socio-economic development, mine action is critical to achieving the objectives set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Pact for the Future. EU assistance covers the whole scope of mine action: clearance, stockpile destruction, victim assistance, risk education, advocacy and capacity building. The EU recognises that the success of the Convention relies on strong national ownership and international cooperation and assistance. The EU will continue to use all available avenues, at the global, regional, and sub-regional levels, including through high-level engagement, cooperation and assistance, to further promote ratification of and accessionto the Convention. The EU directly supports the...