Chair,
Across Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan and other conflicts, civilians continue to bear the brunt of
hostilities. Protecting civilians from the consequences of war remains a fundamental
priority for Norway.
We strongly condemn attacks that kill and injure humanitarian personnel. The increased
use of drones heightens risks for civilians and humanitarian personnel. In Ukraine,
Russia’s attacks pose growing risks to humanitarian actors. In June this year, an attack
on a Norwegian People’s Aid demining team in Kherson killed two employees and injured four others. Ensuring safe and sustained humanitarian access must remain a priority for all parties to armed conflict.
Chair,
Explosive weapons in populated areas cause widespread civilian harm. Children bear a
disproportionate burden. The Political Declaration on EWIPA provides a framework for
action. Its commitments must be translated into military policies, doctrines and
operational practice. Protecting students, teachers, schools and access to education
must remain a priority. We encourage States to endorse and implement both the Safe
Schools Declaration and the EWIPA Declaration.
Chair,
Norway remains firmly committed to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the
Convention on Cluster Munitions. They have saved countless lives and strengthened
civilian protection. We call on all States to join and fully implement them.
We are deeply concerned by reports of alleged, confirmed and increasing use of anti
personnel mines and cluster munitions. These indiscriminate weapons continue to
cause unacceptable harm to civilians, long after active hostilities end, affecting lives,
livelihoods, and recovery.
We are also deeply concerned by the humanitarian impact of incendiary weapons and
encourage further multilateral attention to this issue. We call on the CCW Review
Conference in November to establish a follow-up mechanism for protocol III.
We also call on the Review Conference to establish a strong negotiation mandate for
prohibitions and regulations of Lethal Autonomous Weapons systems. This is urgently
needed. LAWS are no longer science fiction. They are here.
Finally, The Arms Trade Treaty is an essential tool to prevent arms from fueling conflict or violating international law. By building capacity, sharing best practices, and
strengthening cross-border cooperation, we keep the ATT effective. All States should join and fully implement the Treaty.
Thank you.