African states played an instrumental role supporting a ban on cluster munitions throughout the Oslo Process to negotiate a ban treaty. Whilst most sub-Saharan African states have signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), more than half still need to ratify the Convention and seven have not signed and now need to accede. To promote the universalisation of the Convention in this region, Ghana will host the Accra Regional Conference on the Universalisation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions from 28-30 May. The conference aims to boost universalization of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions in Sub-Saharan Africa in the run up to the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP), that will take place in Oslo from 11-14 September. It will also help support Sub-Saharan African countries to take a leading role in universalising the Convention and implementing it.
All Sub-Saharan African countries have been invited to the conference, with two government representatives per country sponsored to attend. A Cluster Munition Coalition delegation will be taking part in the conference and meeting with government representatives.
Take Action: If you are an African campaigner, contact your government and make sure they register for the meeting. Delegates should be ready to provide updates on steps their country is taking to accede to or ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Read more on the Convention website and the CMC website and follow updates during the conference on CMC’s Facebook and Twitter.