Kiribati

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

Last updated: 04 September 2020

Ten-Year Review: Non-signatory Kiribati has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps to accede. Kiribati voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2019.

Kiribati attended a meeting of the convention in 2011, where the country’s representatives stated that Kiribati had never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.

Policy

The Republic of Kiribati has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Kiribati has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps toward acceding. In September 2011, its representatives told States Parties that the government was considering joining the convention.[1] In February 2018, Kiribati attended a regional conference in Auckland, New Zealand, which adopted a declaration affirming “the clear moral and humanitarian rationale for joining” the Convention on Cluster Munitions.”[2]

Kiribati did not participate in the Oslo Process.

Kiribati participated as an observer in the convention’s Second Meeting of States Parties in September 2011. This was the first and is to date the last time that Kiribati attended a meeting of the convention.

In December 2019, Kiribati voted in favor of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution urging states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.”[3] It has voted in favor of the annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.

Kiribati has voted in favor of UNGA resolutions condemning use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently in December 2019.[4]

Kiribati is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It has not joined the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Kiribati stated in September 2011 that it “has never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.”[5]

Kiribati is affected by unexploded ordnance, particularly in Betio and greater South Tarawa, but is not known to be contaminated by cluster munition remnants.[6]



[1] Statement of Kiribati, Convention on Cluster Munitions Second Meeting of States Parties, Beirut, 16 September 2011.

[2] The declaration states that during the meeting “some states not yet party to the Convention undertook to positively consider membership of it.”“Auckland Declaration on Conventional Weapons Treaties,” Pacific Conference on Conventional Weapons Treaties, Auckland, 12–14 February 2018.

[3]Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 74/62, 12 December 2019.

[4]Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 74/169, 18 December 2019. Kiribati voted in favor of similar previous resolutions between 2013–2016 and in 2018. It was not present for the vote on the annual UNGA resolution in 2017.

[5] Statement of Kiribati, Convention on Cluster Munitions Second Meeting of States Parties, Beirut, 16 September 2011.

[6] The government has stated that Kiribati is not affected by antipersonnel landmines. Statement of Kiribati, Mine Ban Treaty Second Review Conference, Cartagena, 4 December 2009.