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The 3rd Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), being held in Vientiane, Lao PDR, from September 14–18, represents a critical milestone in turning political commitments into concrete, measurable actions.
Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone made the statement while delivering opening remarks at the conference in Vientiane yesterday.
He noted that progress under the convention is measured by the expanding area of safe land returned to local communities, the quality of life and comprehensive support provided to victims and their families, and the permanent destruction of stockpiles.
A tangible reduction in casualties, alongside sustained and predictable international cooperation delivered at scale, also directly contributes to the convention's implementation.
The conference gives participants and stakeholders from national and international spheres the opportunity to consider and adopt the Vientiane Capital Action Plan 2027–2031. This framework sets out focused and measurable priorities, including accelerated, safe, and efficient survey, clearance, and risk education; comprehensive and sustainable victim assistance; and enhanced and predictable international cooperation and assistance aligned with the socio-economic development priorities of affected countries.
Prime Minister Sonexay stated that achieving these goals requires sustained political will, adequate financial and technical resources, strong partnerships, and the active involvement of victims and affected communities. "No affected country can tackle the burden of unexploded ordnance in isolation; robust international cooperation remains an indispensable pillar for realizing the goals of the CCM."
Sixteen years ago, Vientiane served as the birthplace of the initial Vientiane Action Plan—a defining moment when states parties, affected nations, development partners, international institutions, and civil society united to translate principles into action.
The Lao premier called upon all states parties, signatory states, observer states, and international partners to deepen their cooperation. "Let us reaffirm our collective resolve to advance the implementation of the CCM and uphold the relevance, purpose, and values of this vital humanitarian instrument amid today's complex global landscape," he urged.
About the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)
The CCM is an international treaty that prohibits all use, transfer, production, and stockpiling of cluster munitions—a type of explosive weapon that scatters submunitions over wide areas.
Additionally, the convention establishes a framework to support victim assistance, the clearance of contaminated sites, risk reduction education, and stockpile destruction. The convention was adopted on May 30, 2008, in Dublin and opened for signature on December 3, 2008, in Oslo. It entered into force on August 1, 2010, six months after ratification by 30 states.
The CCM 3RC is attended by more than 800 officials from national and international spheres. Notable attendees include Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR Thongsavan Phomvihane, UN Under-Secretary-General Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, and Vice President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Jurg Lauber.
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