STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR JACKIE SELEBI, DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA, AT THE FIRST MEETING OF STATES PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON THE PROHIBITION OF THE USE, STOCKPILING, PRODUCTION AND TRANSFER OF ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES AND ON THEIR DESTRUCTION, MAPUTO, MOZAMBIQUE, 3 MAY 1999

Mr President,

South Africa applauds the decision by the Government of Mozambique to host this first meeting of the states parties to the convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of antipersonnel mines and on their destruction. It is indeed fitting to hold this meeting on a continent besieged by the landmine scourge and in a country so greatly affected by the indiscriminate use of landmines. Mozambique has provided exemplary leadership to Africa , and the world, on how to address the terrible consequences of landmines by ensuring the non-use of these weapons.

Through unprecedented dedication and speed, we have achieved a legally binding instrument prohibiting these inhumane weapons. This success, of which we all can be rightly proud, would not have been possible but for the determination and hard work of the hundreds of non-governmental organisations involved in efforts to eradicate landmines. Foremost amongst them is the international campaign to ban landmines. In this context, I am particularly proud of the contribution made by the South African campaign to ban landmines in ensuring the prohibition of an entire category of inhumane weapons.

At the signing ceremony of the Mine Ban Treaty in December 1997, Foreign Minister Nzo said, and I Quote :

"The major issue that needs urgent attention is the task of coordination and removal of the millions of emplaced landmines which are causing thousands of casualties each year and the priority of mine victims who must receive adequate medical attention and rehabilitation, as well as social and economic reintegration. These elements are interdependent and need to be addressed in a comprehensive manner.”

Mr President,

This first meeting of States Parties must therefore confront the problems which still hamper our collective efforts. A central weakness in our work remains the lack of coordination which is present at the national, regional and international levels. It is crucial to our success that we strengthen the relations between ourselves as national governments, civil society, the donor community, regional and international organisations. The battle against mines and their effects can only be successful if we commit ourselves at this meeting to building better coordination and cooperation amongst and between us.

In this regard I must point to the importance of developing real partnerships between affected countries and the international community. Donors should therefore take care not to be prescriptive in their approach. We must all remember that our efforts are aimed at assisting national governments to rebuild their communities, and our contributions must at all times link in with the overall development and rehabilitation of the country.

South Africa , through the South African Medical Services, an arm of the National Defence Force, has the capability to provide comprehensive rehabilitative services to landmine victims. South Africa has a multi-professional team approach to alleviating the problems experienced by individuals who are physically, physiologically and socially disabled as a result of landmine incidents. Emphasis is placed on treating the disabled person as a total human being, taking into account the person's specific needs.

Clearly it would be impossible to deal with all mine victims unless all medical centres in Southern Africa with similar rehabilitation capabilities are utilized in a coordinated programme. It is, therefore, important that the SADC regional demining programme, with specific reference to its proposed strategies on: "Assistance in setting up or improving existing institutions that treat and assist landmine victims", should be implemented as soon as possible. In this regard, South Africa is ready to participate and assist, where possible, in this SADC programme.

Mr President,

The cooperation between Government and Non-governmental Organisations in the campaign to ban anti-personnel mines was very successful as it created an atmosphere of mutual trust and facilitated the exchange of information and ideas which contributed to the successful conclusion of the Mine Ban Treaty.

To build on this sound foundation and to ensure that South Africa effectively manages the implementation of the Treaty obligations. A South African Mine Action Centre is in the process of being established under the auspices of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The centre will be a partnership between various Governmental and Non-Governmental roleplayers active on the issue of landmines. The objective of the Centre will, amongst others, be to act as a forum where compliance with international instruments on landmines will be monitored. To facilitate and identify appropriate mine action projects; and act as a clearinghouse for all mine action requests received by South Africa .

Mr President,

The Universalisation of the Mine Ban Treaty remains a priority and we should actively work towards ensuring that this Treaty remains the International norm in banning anti-personnel mines. To ensure the effective implementation of the Treaty and facilitate its universalisation, I hope that this meeting will be able to reach agreement on an informal intersessional working methodology which will enable states parties to meet and discuss various Treaty priorities.

Despite the tremendous support which the Treaty enjoys internationally, many states remain unable to join us in banning anti-personnel mines. A responsibility rests upon these states and ourselves to ensure that they do not continue to use these weapons with the same terrible humanitarian consequences.

Mr President,

Around the world we have been confronted by the daily human tragedy caused by landmines, where mined areas are a deadly trap for rural populations. Landmines prevent the rehabilitation and expansion of national infrastructure. The expansion of employment opportunities and agricultural development are made impossibly these weapons.

In our pursuit of growth and development, we have mobilised to combat the scourge of landmines. These weapons threaten Africa 's advance towards its rebirth. This unity of purpose amongst African states significantly contributed to the adoption of the Mine Ban Treaty. This Treaty provides us with a tool to act and meet the challenges of alleviating the suffering caused by landmes, thereby removing a major constraint to sustainable growth and development on our continent.

Mr President,

South Africa and her neighbours recognised that anti-personnel mines posed a humanitarian problem that can only be addressed through a holistic policy approach of abolishing the use of anti-personnel landmines, ensuring that landmines are cleared in the shortest possible time and providing for the rehabilitation of the victims of landmines. Therefore, when South Africa signed the Mine Ban Treaty in December 1997 its treaty obligations relating to the destruction of anti-personnel mines had already been met.

In terms of the Treaty requirement that States Parties consider providing assistance to ensure that the Treaty obligations are met, South Africa's contribution in this regard is based on training and medical expertise as well as technical supervision and advice, depending on specific situations. In view of South Africa 's declared policy towards the promotion of political and economic stability in the Southern African Region, South Africa had made a direct contribution towards demining in Mozambique .

In terms of a bilateral agreement between South Africa and Mozambique , US$2,4 million was made available for the clearance of landmines in the Maputo Province . This project was successfully completed and included the clearing of 163 hectares of land and the destruction of 5000 mines, thus unlocking the agricultural potential of the region. Since 1996 South Africa , through the South African Army Engineer Formation, trained selected members of the Angolan Demining Institute (INAROEE) in demining management.

Mr President,

South Africa remains committed to our cooperation with the region to eradicate the landmines scourge. South Africa is therefore ready to continue its support to Mozambique by making available additional resources for mine-action activities.

Mr President,

We must also not lose sight of the need for us to work for the universal adherence to the convention on certain conventional weapons (CCW). Many States that signed the Mine Ban Treaty had leapfrogged the CCW to support this strong, clear and total ban on Anti-Personnel Mines. Having made that serious commitment they should be ideally placed to also consider adherence to the CCW and to its Protocols. The CCW provides an important platform to work with those States that are not yet part of the Mine Ban Treaty. The CCW, through progressively strengthening its Protocol 11, can also be seen as a stepping stone to banning anti-personnel mines.

In conclusion, Mr President,

The success or failure of the Mine Ban Treaty will be measured by our ability to ensure that ten years after the entry into force of the Treaty on 1 March 2009, significant progress has been made in eliminating the world of mined areas and drastically reducing the casualties caused by these mines. We will only be able to meet this challenge if we dedicate ourselves to effective cooperation and coordination with the same vigour as we did in attaining the ban on anti-Personnel Mines.

The fact that we meet here today is a tribute to the victims of landmines that their suffering has not been in vain. This is their victory, they have ensured that multilateral diplomacy will never be able to ignore the plight of the innocent, they have democratised negotiations and this international instrument is therefore The Peoples' Treaty.

I Thank You