23 May 2017
Madagascar Ratifies Global Cluster Bomb Ban
Madagascar becomes 101st State Party. Congratulations!
Madagascar delegate at the 6th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions @CMC
The Republic of Madagascar has become the 101st State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, having deposited its instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 20 May 2017. The Convention will enter into force for Madagascar on 1 November 2017.
Madagascar has never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
In 2013, Madagascar condemned the use of these weapons and later urged all countries that have not yet acceded to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions in solidarity with those who have suffered from the use of the weapons
Madagascar participated in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions and was among the states who advocated for a strong convention text.
“The deed is done! We welcome Madagascar to the community of progressive states that have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions. We hope that those states still lingering in the valley of decision to ratify or accede to the Convention or not will emulate Madagascar sooner rather than later”, said Amelie Chayer of the Cluster Munition Coalition.
The vast majority of sub-Saharan African states have joined the Convention, but 13 still need to ratify to become full States Parties. A small number are still outside the Convention: Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, South Sudan, Sudan and Zimbabwe. The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic cannot accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions due to its political status, but has expressed its support for the ban on cluster munitions.
On 4-5 August 2016 Madagascar along with sixteen other African countries came together at the Africa Regional Workshop on the Universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to discuss challenges and solutions to joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Participants of the workshop adopted the ‘Addis Ababa Commitment Paper on Universalization and Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions’ reiterating their commitment to free Africa from the scourge of cluster munitions and strengthen the global norm against these weapons.
In 2016, Madagascar was among 141 states that voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly resolution (71/45) in support of the total ban on cluster munitions.
