Solomon Islands
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary: Non-signatory the Solomon Islands has shown interest in the convention but has not taken any steps to accede. It voted in favor of a United Nations (UN) resolution on the convention in December 2017. The Solomon Islands has participated in a couple of meetings of the convention, but not since 2011. 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. In 2010 and 2011, government officials indicated the government was actively working to accede, but no steps have been taken since that time.[1]
In February 2018, the Solomon Islands attended the Pacific Conference on Conventional Weapons Treaties and adopted the conference’s “Auckland Declaration,” acknowledging “the clear moral and humanitarian rationale for joining” the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The declaration states that during the meeting “some states not yet party to the Convention undertook to positively consider membership of it.”[2]
The Solomon Islands did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The Solomon Islands participated as an observer in the convention’s Meetings of States Parties in 2010 and 2011 but did not make any statements. It has not attended any meetings since then.
In December 2017, the Solomon Islands 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.”[3] It voted in favor of previous UNGA resolutions promoting implementation and universalization of the convention in 2015 and 2016.[4]
The Solomon Islands has also voted in favor of UNGA resolutions expressing outrage at the use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently in December 2017.[5]
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 2011, a government representative told the Monitor that the Solomon Islands are not affected by cluster munition remnants.[6]
[1] The Solomon Islands representative to the First Meeting of States Parties informed Cluster Munition Coalition (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] “Auckland Declaration on Conventional Weapons Treaties,” Pacific Conference on Conventional Weapons Treaties, Auckland, New Zealand, 12–14 February 2018.
[3] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 72/54, 4 December 2017.
[4] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 71/45, 5 December 2016; and “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 70/54, 7 December 2015.
[5] “Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 72/191, 19 December 2017. It voted in favor of similar resolutions in 2013–2016.
[6] 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.