ITF participates on the 1st Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions
ITF is privileged to be present at the historical 1st Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and has been granted status of an observer organization to the Convention.
The International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) is privileged to be present at the historical 1st Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the convention banning the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions, the destruction of stockpiles, the clearance of affected land and the provision of assistance to victims and affected communities. ITF has been granted status of an observer organization to the Convention.
Mr Dorijan Marši? the director of ITF thanked the Government of Lao PDR for warm hospitality and dedication to bring vision to action, providing overview of already implemented ITF activities in cluster munitions clearance and emphasizing ITF’s preparedness to continue support cluster munitions clearance activities globally as well as actively contributing to implementation of Convention on Cluster Munitions to reach the end goal – World free of Cluster Munitions.
ITF has been active in the field of cluster munitions clearance since 2000 and is primarily engaged in clearance operations of areas and territories contaminated with cluster munitions and in the field of providing victim’s assistance and rehabilitation to cluster munitions victims.
The majority of cluster munitions clearance through ITF has been implemented in Serbia where ITF carried out 17 cluster munitions clearance projects in Serbia during the 2003-2010 period, clearing almost 3.8 square kilometers. In 2010 alone, ITF managed to clear almost 1 million square meters of cluster munitions/UXO contaminated land in Serbia. By end of 2010 ITF, together with Norwegian People's Aid and Mine Action Centre of Serbia shall complete the general (re) survey in Serbia (which commenced in the end of 2007). It is predicted that with the completion of this survey some 17 square kilometres would be left still affected with cluster munitions. ITF plans that, with sufficient donor support, Serbia could be cluster munitions-free by 2013/14.