Thailand at the 21^st Meeting of States Parties of Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

Thailand reaffirmed its firm commitment towards a mine-free world and exchange views with Cambodia on how to enhance and advance humanitarian mine action along the Thai-Cambodia border at the Meeting of States Parties of Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in Geneva during 21-24 November 2023.

As the Chair of the Committee of Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance, Thailand highlighted the activities and engagements of the Committee with different stakeholders, including the States, international organizations and CSOs during 2023, including individualized approach meetings, the Cooperation and Assistance Fund, the online reporting-tools and the collaboration with other thematic Committees, which greatly contributed to the mine affected States’ implementation of the Convention.

The Committee of Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance’s thematic panel discussion “More effective cooperation between mine-affected and supporting” which focused on how affected States and donors could benefit from the individualized approach and the establishment a national mine action center. At the side line of the meeting, the Committee also co-hosted an Individualized Approach Meeting for Turkey, Tajikistan and Somalia with selected invited States, international organizations and members of civil society in the position to provide assistance.

In its national capacity, representatives of Thailand Mine Action Center (TMAC), the Ministry of Human Security and Social Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered Thailand’s national statement highlighting our achievement in national implementation of the Convention and on-going cooperation and assistance at regional and international levels in different areas, including mine clearance, victim assistance and mine risk education.  Furthermore, Thailand’s readiness to work with Cambodia along the Thai-Cambodia border was echoed in the statement and the bilateral meetings with Cambodia and ICBL. 

Thailand has been an active member of the Convention since becoming State Party in 1999 and was the President of the fifth Meeting of the State Parties (5MSP) in 2002.  Recently, Thailand has played a proactive role in advancing the work of the Convention through participating in the work of various committees, such as the Standing Committee on Resources, Cooperation and Assistance (2012-2013), the Committee on Victim Assistance (2016-2017 and 2020-2021), the Committee on the Enhancement of Cooperation and Assistance (2018-2019 and 2022-2023), Universalization Contact Group (2023-..) and will be serve as a member the Committee of Article 5 Implementation in 2024-2025.