Solomon Islands
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary: Non-signatory the Solomon Islands has not elaborated its view on accession to the convention, but government representatives have expressed support for the convention’s objectives. The Solomon Islands attended the convention’s Meetings of States Parties in 2010 and 2011. It voted in favor of a UN resolution on the convention in December 2015. The Solomon Islands is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
Policy
The Solomon Islands has not yet acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The status of accession is not known. Previously, in 2010 and 2011, officials expressed support for the convention and indicated the government was actively working to join it.[1]
On 7 December 2015, the Solomon Islands voted in favor of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which urges states outside the convention to “join as soon as possible.”[2] A total of 140 states, including many non-signatories, voted to adopt the non-binding resolution.
The Solomon Islands did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The Solomon Islands attended the convention’s Meetings of States Parties in 2010 and 2011 as an observer, but did not make any statements. The Solomon Islands has voted in favor of UNGA resolutions condemning the use of cluster munitions in Syria.[3]
The Solomon Islands is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty.
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
The Solomon Islands is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions. In September 2011, a government representative informed the Monitor that the Solomon Islands are not affected by cluster munition remnants.[4]
[1] The Solomon Islands representative to the First Meeting of States Parties informed CMC representatives that he would recommend that accession to the convention be added to the government’s list of treaty priorities. CMC meeting with George Hoa’au, Assistant Secretary for the UN and Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, in Vientiane, Lao PDR, 9 November 2010. At a side meeting held during the Second Meeting of States Parties in Beirut, Lebanon in September 2011, the Solomon Islands representative said that an internal consultation process was underway to consider accession to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Aotearoa New Zealand Cluster Munition Coalition web story, “Pacific action on cluster munitions,” 22 September 2011.
[2] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 70/54, 7 December 2015.
[3] UNGA Resolution 69/189, 18 December 2014. It voted in favor of a similar resolution on 18 December 2013.
[4] Monitor meeting with Miriam Lidimani, Legal Officer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Solomon Islands, in Beirut, 14 September 2011.
Mine Ban Policy
The Solomon Islands signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997 and ratified it on 26 January 1999, becoming a State Party on 1 July 1999. The Solomon Islands has never used, produced, exported, or imported antipersonnel mines, including for training purposes. It believes that existing legislation is sufficient to enforce the antipersonnel mine prohibition domestically. The Solomon Islands submitted its initial Article 7 transparency report on 11 February 2004, covering 1 July 1999 to 31 December 2004, but has not submitted subsequent annual reports.
The Solomon Islands is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
The Solomon Islands is contaminated by UXO from World War II.
Support for Mine Action
The Solomon Islands are contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO) dating from World War II. In 2011, the United States (US) provided US$400,000 to the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation to train the Solomon Islands Police’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) section to EOD Level 2 and to conduct any necessary clearance in preparation for establishing the section’s headquarters on Guadalcanal.[1]
In 2012, the US supported the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation with $556,667 to continue providing Level 2 EOD training and technical oversight to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force’s EOD team on Guadalcanal. Additionally, in 2012 the US Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program began an operational field evaluation of the Badger armored excavator with the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation. The Badger provides access to EOD teams to locate and clear UXO and abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO) at Hells Point, where the contamination has endangered local populations and destroyed fishing grounds. The Badger cleared 305,000m2 of dense jungle vegetation in difficult terrain and found 602 items of UXO and AXO.[2]
Japan contributed ¥5.1 million ($64,082) through the Japan Mine Action Service.
International contributions: 2012[3]
|
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount ($) |
|
US |
Clearance |
$556,667 |
556,667 |
|
Japan |
Clearance |
¥5,115,025 |
64,082 |
|
Total |
|
|
620,749 |
[1] US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2012,” Washington DC, July 2012.
[2] US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2013,” Washington DC, August 2013, p. 24; and Japan, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Amended Protocol II, 28 March 2013.
[3] Ibid. Average exchange rate for 2012: ¥79.82=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2013.