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At the 13th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, held on September 19, 2025, at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane officially assumed the presidency and hosting rights for the 3rd Review Conference of the Convention, which will take place in Vientiane Capital in 2026.
The Lao PDR was among the first countries to sign and ratify the Convention in 2010. Hosting the 2026 conference carries great significance, as Laos remains one of the countries most heavily affected by unexploded ordnance (UXO) and has played a leading role in advancing the Convention’s goals.
This will be the second time Laos has been entrusted with presiding over such a high-level international meeting. The country previously hosted the first Meeting of States Parties to the Convention in 2010, also in Vientiane Capital.
In his remarks, Minister Thongsavanh reaffirmed the Lao government’s steadfast commitment to the Convention, noting that more than 2 million tons of bombs were dropped on Laos during the Indochina War, including over 270 million cluster munitions. Of these, an estimated 80 million remain unexploded, continuing to endanger lives and impede socio-economic development.
“For more than five decades after the war, unexploded ordnance has continued to claim lives and devastate communities across all ethnic groups in Laos, with children suffering the highest casualties,” the Minister said. “UXO remains a major obstacle to development in multiple sectors.”
He emphasized that assuming the presidency and hosting the Review Conference not only enhances Laos’s international role but also reflects the country’s deep historical connection to the issue and its determination to help build a world free of cluster munitions.
The Minister expressed appreciation for the Philippines, which served as president of the 13th Meeting of States Parties in 2025, commending its leadership and achievements.
He further stressed Laos’s focus on survey and clearance efforts, risk education, victim assistance, and its transformation from being a victim of UXO to becoming a global leader in addressing the problem.
On this occasion, the Foreign Minister invited member states, development partners, UN agencies, and international organizations to support Laos in hosting the 2026 Review Conference under the theme: “Accelerating Progress Towards a World Free from the Threat of Cluster Munitions.”
KPL
