Press Statement of the Southeast Asia and Pacific Regional Workshop on the Convention on Cluster Munitions

Manila, 19 March 2025 – In advance of the 13^th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, a number of States gathered in Manila, on 18-19 March 2025 for a Southeast Asia and Pacific Regional Workshop on the Convention on Cluster Munitions, hosted by the Republic of the Philippines.

Universalization efforts do not take place in a vacuum. Recent developments have demonstrated that overall humanitarian disarmament efforts and International Humanitarian Law more generally are faced with unprecedented challenges. The Convention on Cluster Munitions is not exempted from this shift in attitudes with the first ever case of withdrawal of a State from a multilateral treaty prohibiting a whole class of weapons entering into force on 6 March.

As President of the 13^th Meeting of States Parties to the CCM, the Philippines stated that “this is an unprecedented decision that risks eroding the norms and principles that prohibit the use of cluster munitions, which have caused indiscriminate harm and suffering over the past decades. Though withdrawal is allowed by the Convention and is a sovereign prerogative, we hope there will be no others, for the integrity of the Convention and for the sanctity of International Humanitarian Law”.

Both States parties and States not parties to the CCM gathered in Manila were encouraged by positive developments in its Parliament in reference to the CCM, as shared by Vanuatu. The Marshall Islands, furthermore, informed of their accession to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention last week and has supported the goal of prohibiting cluster munitions in the past, but has yet to take steps to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Other participants from Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands also conveyed support to the principle espoused and norms promoted by the CCM.

Encouraged by such steps, and recalling the recent UNGA resolution on the CCM that enjoyed broad support well beyond the group of current States parties, urging “all States not parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions to ratify or accede to it as soon as possible, and all States parties to promote adherence to the Convention through bilateral, subregional and multilateral contacts”, participating Southeast Asia and Pacific states expressed their commitment to further learn more about the requirements for interested states to join the Convention, with the view to positively change the course of recent developments ahead of the upcoming 13^th MSP and Third Review Conference (2026), which will be presided over by Lao PDR.

Aimed at contributing to the discourse in addressing the humanitarian, developmental, and security challenges posed by cluster munitions and to catalyse regional action toward universalizing the CCM, the workshop was designed to:

1. Strengthen Humanitarian Disarmament Norms and Address Regional Barriers:

Reinforce the importance of the CCM and other humanitarian disarmament treaties in protecting civilians, preventing future harm, and fostering sustainable peace and

development in the Southeast Asia and Pacific region. Identify and discuss region-specific barriers to ratification or accession, including political, legislative, and institutional challenges, and explore tailored solutions to overcome these obstacles.

2. Draw Lessons from Other Regions and Promote Collaboration:

Facilitate the exchange of best practices and lessons learned from regions with higher CCM adherence rates, such as Europe and Africa, and reflect on these strategies to the unique geopolitical and cultural contexts of the Southeast Asia and Pacific region. Foster regional and cross-sector collaboration among states, civil society organizations, affected communities, and other stakeholders to build momentum for universalizing the CCM in the region.

3. Enhance Technical Knowledge and Capacity:

Provide participants with the necessary resources, tools, and expert guidance on key CCM operational obligations, including stockpile destruction, land clearance, victim assistance, and national implementation measures.

4. Highlight Developmental Benefits:

Demonstrate how CCM adherence aligns with broader national and regional development priorities, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), by emphasizing its positive impacts on economic recovery, human security, and social cohesion.

5. Sustain Momentum, Raise Awareness:

Establish mechanisms for follow-up, monitoring, and evaluation of progress toward CCM universalization in the Asia-Pacific region, including regional networks, partnerships, and periodic progress reviews.

Background

Over the last 80 years, cluster munitions have caused the deaths and injuries of thousands of civilians. Building on the Anti-Personnel Mines Ban Convention (APMBC), the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) represents a groundbreaking, legally binding international treaty aimed at eliminating the civilian harm caused by cluster munitions through the comprehensive prohibition of their use, production, stockpiling, and transfer.

However, the Convention currently faces increasing challenges, as the norms prohibiting the use of indiscriminate weapon systems are being eroded. The changing nature of warfare, with battles increasingly fought in densely populated urban areas, often pushes the rules of war— particularly the principles of distinction and proportionality—into the background, subordinating them to immediate military objectives.

Given these challenges, International Humanitarian Law (IHL) must remain a cornerstone for shaping the morality of conflict and regulating the use of military technologies. The indiscriminate use of weapons like cluster munitions not only results in long-term harm by leaving a legacy of violence, trauma, and permanent disabilities for countless civilians, but it also deeply fractures communities, making peace and reconciliation in post-war societies far more difficult to achieve. These enduring consequences highlight the urgent need to preserve and strengthen the protective norms established by humanitarian disarmament treaties like the CCM.

The importance of upholding and strengthening these established norms, as well as preserving the effectiveness of existing humanitarian disarmament treaties, is a shared responsibility for all states committed to safeguarding civilians in armed conflicts.