15 September 2020

Saint Lucia Joins CCM in Run-up to Treaty Review Conference

The Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) extends warm congratulations to Saint Lucia on becoming the 110th State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

On 15 September Saint Lucia deposited the instrument of accession to the Convention meaning the treaty will enter into force for the Caribbean country on 1 March 2021.

The acession follows active engagement of States and ICBL-CMC with Saint Lucia, including at a March 2020 workshop for CARICOM countries, organized by States Parties Canada and Grenada in conjunction with the Implementation Support Unit of the Convention.

"We celebrate Saint Lucia's joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions as an important step towards achieving a world free of cluster munitions and we reaffirm our commitment to continue supporting these efforts", said Natalia Morales Campillo with the Colombian Campaign to Ban Landmines, who presented information at the meeting in Grenada, supporting national accession and ratification efforts.

A non-signatory to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions at the time, Saint Lucia nevertheless voted in favor of the key United Nations resolution promoting the Convention in December 2019. Saint Lucia is not known to have used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.

“Saint Lucia's joining the Convention on Cluster Munitions brings us nearer the Convention goal of universal adherence, and that much closer to eliminating the death and suffering this weapon continues to sow", said Diana Carolina Prado Mosquera, Cluster Munition Coalition Advocacy and Campaigns Manager and lead on universalization efforts. “This is perfect timing as we are in the run-up to the Second Review Conference of the CCM, under the Swiss Presidency”, she added.

The CMC will join States Parties and other stakeholders at the Review Conference taking place November in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Click here for more information on CMC activities in preparation for the Convention on Cluster Munitions Second Review Conference.