Papua New Guinea
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary: Non-signatory Papua New Guinea adopted the convention, but has not taken any steps to join it. Papua New Guinea voted in favor of a UN resolution on the convention in December 2016. It is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
Policy
Papua New Guinea (PNG) has not yet acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
PNG participated in the negotiation of the convention, but has never commented on why it has taken no steps to join since 2008.
PNG joined the Oslo Process in February 2008 and adopted the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Dublin on 30 May 2008. A government representative was present at the Signing Conference in Oslo in December 2008, but indicated that he did not have the correct paperwork ready to sign the convention at the time.[1]
In December 2016, PNG voted in favor of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that urges states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.”[2] It also voted in favor of the first UNGA resolution on the convention in December 2015.[3]
PNG has never attended a meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
PNG has voted in favor of UNGA resolutions expressing outrage at the use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently in December 2016.[4]
PNG is party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is not a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
PNG is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
[1] Interview with Yu Minibi, Foreign Service Officer, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in Oslo, 3 December 2008.
[2] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 71/45, 5 December 2016.
[3] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 70/54, 7 December 2015.
[4] “Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 71/203, 19 December 2016. PNG voted in favor of similar resolutions in 2013–2015.
Mine Ban Policy
Papua New Guinea acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 28 June 2004, becoming a State Party on 1 December 2004. Papua New Guinea has never used, produced, exported, or imported antipersonnel mines, including for training purposes. Papua New Guinea believes that existing legislation is sufficient to enforce the antipersonnel mine prohibition domestically. Papua New Guinea submitted its initial Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report on 29 November 2004 but has not submitted subsequent reports.
Papua New Guinea did not attend any Mine Ban Treaty meetings in 2010 or the first half of 2011.
Papua New Guinea is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons. It is not believed to be mine-affected but parts of the country are contaminated by unexploded ordnance from World War II.