24 December 2013

New report: worldwide investments in cluster munitions as a shared responsibility

IKV Pax Christi (the Netherlands) and FairFin (Belgium) have published an updated report entitled Worldwide Investments in Cluster Munitions: a Shared Responsibility. The original version of this report was published in 2009. The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. The report stipulates that financing the production of cluster munitions constitutes ‘assistance’ or ‘encouragement’ which is prohibited by the CCM.

The report identifies 139 financial institutions that invested more than 24 billion US dollars in seven cluster munitions producers. It also identifies a growing group of states that take the view that the CCM bans investment in cluster munitions. It notes that ‘Experience with legislation in Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Samoa and Switzerland can serve as model for ways signatory states, States Parties to the CCM and states that are not party to the CCM can prohibit investment in cluster munitions producers by national law.’

Source: IKV PAX CHRISTI | Worldwide investments in CLUSTER MUNITIONS a shared responsibility | December 2013 update

10 October 2013

Minister Zambia: shared responsibility for states to build a world free of cluster munitions

Gabriel Namulambe, Zambia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, spoke about the country’s willingness to encourage other states to ratify and implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions in order to eradicate weapons that have killed and maimed thousands of people around the world. He said ‘It is our shared responsibility to restore human dignity. The fight against cluster munitions will not be complete if some countries remain outside the Convention. It is Zambia’s belief that a world free of cluster munitions is only achievable if all countries of the world come together to reject the production, use and stockpiling of cluster munitions. Furthermore, Zambia believes that all countries have a shared moral responsibility to ensure that innocent lives are not lost to these deadly weapons and that the world is clear of cluster munitions. We, therefore, call upon all countries of the world to do what is honourable and say “no” to cluster munitions.’

Source: ICRC | Zambia: States share responsibility to build a world free of cluster munitions