Category Archives: Noticias

• 25 March 2015 Paraguay Ratifies the Convention on Cluster Munitions

  

  The Republic of Paraguay became the 90th State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, having deposited its instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 12 March 2015. The Convention will enter into force for Paraguay on 1 September 2015. The Cluster Munition Coalition congratulates Paraguay on its ratification and encourages it to actively promote the universalization of the Convention by inviting all states not party to join the Convention, in particular Latin American and Caribbean countries that have not yet renounced cluster munitions. “Paraguay’s ratification brings Latin America one step closer to being a cluster munition-free region,” said Hector Guerra, representative of the Cluster Munition Coalition in Mexico. “Latin America will only be free... Read more »

• Air Power in Afganistan

  

  A new report published today by London-based charity Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) has shone new light on the reasons why civilian deaths from aerial bombing in Afghanistan have fallen by 81% between 2008 and 2014. Air strikes have long been one of NATO’s most controversial tactics in Afghanistan. In “Air power in Afghanistan,” AOAV investigates the policies adopted by NATO since 2008 – the year when civilian deaths from air strikes peaked – through to 2014, when international forces withdrew from the country. It asks: how did NATO change the rules for its use of aerial explosive weapons in populated areas in Afghanistan? How did these changes help protect civilians during hostilities? AOAV scrutinised three specific directives and... Read more »

• A better use for steel

  

  Control Arms members gathered in Trinidad and Tobago to demonstrate that there’s a better use for steel than weapons and ammunition. Campaginers are in Port of Spain for the First Preparatory Meeting toward the First Conference of States (CSP) Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) taking place in Port of Spain from 23 – 24 February. Coalition members held signs stating “There is a better use for steel” against the backdrop of a performance from the Sapophonic Steel Band, a steel orchestra. The performance also served to reinforce the coalition’s call for effective implementation of the ATT and that this is a ‘#chance2change’ the arms trade. María Pía Devoto and Maria Eugenia Villareal both member of SEHLAC network... Read more »

• Japan no longer cluster munitions

  

  Japan announced this week having destroyed its entire stockpile of cluster munitions. As a State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Japan had until 1 August 2018 to finish destroying its stocks. The task was completed way ahead of the obligatory deadline. Congratulations, omedetou gozaimasu! With this important accomplishment, Japan joins the United Kingdom, Denmark, Chile, The Netherlands, Belgium, Ecuador and many other countries that have destroyed their entire stockpiles of cluster munitions, ensuring these unacceptable weapons can never be used again. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the destruction was completed on 9 February 2015. The President-Designate of the First Review Conference of the Convention, Croatia, welcomed the good news from Japan and encouraged other States... Read more »

• CELAC for peace and nuclear disarmament

  

  During the last 28 and 29 January 2014 was held in Costa Rica the Third Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). As in other regional fora, CELAC concluded its meeting with a statement recognizing that peace is a supreme value of universal harmony and the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. Also the statement declares the commitment to nuclear disarmament and the banning of weapons of mass destruction globally, the peaceful settlement of disputes, to banish forever the use and threat of use of force is reaffirmed. Download the STATEMENT HERE It is noteworthy that this event is of great importance for the region and in this regard drew... Read more »

• Palestine Accedes to Convention on Cluster Munitions

  

  On 2 January Palestine became the 116th nation to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions, after depositing its instrument of accession with United Nations authorities in New York. This makes Palestine the first nation to join the Convention in 2015, and the fifth to do so since states met in Costa Rica in September 2014 to assess treaty progress and to call for universal adoption of the ban on cluster munitions. In December 2014, the Costa Rica Chair of the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, called on states to join the Convention in the run up to the First Review Conference taking place September 2015 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. “Palestine’s accession is a great start... Read more »

• Austria Pledges to ban nuclear weapons

  

  After 44 states called for a prohibition on nuclear weapons at a conference in Vienna on the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons, Austria delivered the “Austrian pledge” in which it committed to work to “fill the legal gap for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons” and pledged “to cooperate with all stakeholders to achieve this goal”. “All states committed to nuclear disarmament must join the Austrian pledge to work towards a treaty to ban nuclear weapons”, said Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). “Next year is the 70 year anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and that will be a fitting time for negotiations to start on a... Read more »

• UNLIREC recognized Maria Pia Devoto for her contribution to disarmament

  

  Coinciding with the celebrations of the UN International Day on the Elimination of Violence against Women, UNODA’s Regional Disarmament Centre in Lima (UNLIREC) launched a new publication aimed at maintaining international momentum in progressing towards women’s empowerment in the security field. The UNLIREC publication entitled “Forces of Change II: Recognizing the contribution of Latin American and Caribbean Women to Disarmament” pays tribute to the women who capture the essence of resolution 65/69 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010 on women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. María Pía Devoto (from SEHLAC network and APP) was one of the 80 recognized women for its dedication to disarmament and arms control in Argentina, South America, and at the global level since 2002. In... Read more »