Ly Thuch, CMAA first vice-president and chair of the 2024 Ottawa Convention (centre), attends the 25th Anniversary of the mine ban treaty on March 1 in Geneva, Switzerland. CMAA
Ly Thuch, first vice-president of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) who holds the 2024 chair of the Ottawa Convention, attended the 25th anniversary celebrations of the convention, held on March 1 at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland.
He declared the anniversary a historic day, noting that the convention was not only a diplomatic achievement but represented the commitment of many nations to protecting, curing and rehabilitating the victims of landmines.
“This is a time when mankind has risen together to provide the victims with hope, after wars have come to an end,” he said during the celebrations.
On the same day, he led a meeting to mobilise resources to support the implementation of the Ottawa Convention, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty.
“The perspective of former Prime Minister Hun Sen is a valuable one when it comes to discussing demining work. We don’t just determine the size of the land we have cleared, but how many lives we have saved, and how many communities we have rehabilitated,” he said.
He also chaired a meeting of the Committee on Cooperative Compliance, where he urged all state signatories to strengthen their compliance, transparency and the obligations of the convention.
The CMAA announced that the meeting participants discussed measures to coordinate the implementation of standards among state parties, while solidifying compliance. In addition, the participants expressed their concerns over the rise in the use of anti-personnel mines on the European continent.
Thuch thanked the state parties for sharing their viewpoints with the committee, noting that their contributions were important for guaranteeing compliance.
At a universalisation coordinating group meeting, held to plan strategies and mechanisms to promote the globalisation of the convention, Thuch explained that Cambodia has worked hard to push for this.
The meeting also focused on a mine-free Pacific region, increased participation by key target states and a step forward in participation by others.
According to the CMAA, the meeting was attended by representatives from several member countries, such as Cambodia, Australia, Belgium, the UK, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany, as well as representatives of international organisations like the Implementation Support Unit (ISU), the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
