Toward a mine free world – Nairobi Summit
From November 29 to December 3, governments will convene in Nairobi, Kenya for the first Review Conference of the Ottawa Treaty banning anti-personnel mines. This is an important opportunity for the international community to gather and take stock of the accomplishments of the last five years but also decide on the steps required to free the world of landmines for ever.
Much has been achieved since the adoption of the Ottawa Treaty in 1997:
- over 75 per cent of countries are full members of the Ottawa Treaty;
- the number of landmines victims has dropped from 26,000 annually to below 20,000;
- only four countries still use landmines;
- over 60 million mines have been destroyed from stockpiles;
- the number of producers has dropped to 15; and
- over 1,100 square kms of infested land has been demined (this represents approximately 125,000 football fields).
However, there are still new landmine victims every day. Governments not party to the Ottawa Treaty must come to Nairobi prepared to indicate their intention to join the ban.
The Canadian Red Cross also hopes that Canada and other countries can renew their long term commitment to landmine survivors and their communities and to demining infested areas.
All eyes are turned to Nairobi as governments must demonstrate their support in ridding the world of landmines through the adoption of a strong five-year olan of action.
Nairobi summit: commitment to end suffering caused by mines
Ending the Era of Anti-personnel Mines (PDF, 15.1 kb)
by Dr. Pierre Duplessis, Secretary General, Canadian Red Cross
