CM/Res.1593 (LXII)
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RESOLUTION ON THE 1980 UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON CERTAIN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AND PROBLEMS
POSED BY THE PROLIFERATION OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES IN AFRICA
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Sixty-Second Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 21 to 23 June, 1995,
Having considered the recommendations made by the Seminar organized jointly by the OAU and the ICRC in Addis Ababa from 11 to 12 April 1995 on the International Humanitarian Law and the 1980 United Nations Convention on the Prohibitions or Restrictions of Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be excessively injurious, Doc. CM/1884 (LXII) Annex 1,
Considering Resolution CM/Res.1526 (LXII) on Respect for International Humanitarian Law and Support for Humanitarian Action in Armed Conflicts adopted by the Council of Ministers at its Sixtieth Ordinary Session held in Tunis in June 1994, particularly its paragraph 6 (b) by which the Council invites States which have not yet become party to the above Convention to do so,
Recalling that this Convention will be submitted to the Review Conference due to take place in Vienna, Austria from 25 September to 13 October, 1995,
Noting that to date only three African States ate acceded to his Convention;
Deeply concerned over the tragic consequences resulting from the generalized and indiscriminate use of anti-personal mines, and the fact that of all the regions of the world, Africa is the Continent with the largest number of these weapons and is, as a result, paying the heaviest toll,
Particularly alarmed at the significant increase in the number of anti-personnel victims among the civilian population and the high cost involved in mine clearing and the rehabilitation of the affected areas,
Noting that only appropriate measures adopted by the entire International Community will help put an end to this scourge,
Noting with concern at the on-going researches aimed at modernizing laser blinding weapons:
TAKES NOTE of the relevant recommendations formulated by the abovementioned Seminar;
CONDEMNS cases of flagrant violation of the International Humanitarian Law by the indiscriminate use of anti-personnel mines;
URGES ALL MEMBER STATES which have not yet acceded to the 1980 UN Convention on certain conventional arms to do so as early as possible;
FURTHER URGES Member States to participate fully and actively in the review conference slated for 25 September to 13 October, 1995 in Vienna and to defend an African common position as stated at the abovementioned seminar, particularly:
“the total ban on the manufacture and use of mines;
the extension of field of application of the 1980 Convention to non- international armed conflicts;
the addition, to the Convention of mechanisms to guarantee the effective implementation; and
mobilisation of increased resources for demining and rehabilitating infested areas and assistance to the victim”
APPEALS to the International Community to give increase support to African national and regional institutions, responsible for giving assistance to victims of anti-personnel mines particularly, the African Rehabilitation Institute (ARI);
REQUESTS the countries which are responsible for this act to provide the necessary resources and information, including the maps and the locations of the mines, to the African countries which were victims of the scourge of mines during the Second World War and during conflicts which preceded their accession to independence;
SUPPORTS the adoption, by the review Conference, of a Protocol banning laser blinding weapons;
REITERATES provisions of resolution CM/Res.1370 (LV) on refugees and displaced persons “appealing to all Member States of the Organization of African Unity, that are able to do so, to contribute through the Organization of African Unity
or any other appropriate arrangements, expertise, personnel, equipment, technical know-how or any other relevant resources towards the clearance of land mines and other unexploded munitions in areas of potential return of refugees;”
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to follow-up the implementation of this resolution, and to report to the next Session of the Council of Ministers.