Solomon Islands
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Ten-Year Review: Non-signatory the Solomon Islands has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps to join it. The Solomon Islands has participated in meetings of the convention, but not since 2011. It voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2019.
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 Solomon Islands has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps to join it.[1]
The Solomon Islands did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The Solomon Islands has participated as an observer in the convention’s meetings, but not since 2011.[2] It has participated in regional workshops, including one hosted in Auckland, New Zealand in February 2018, which issued a declaration affirming “the clear moral and humanitarian rationale for joining” the Convention on Cluster Munitions.[3]
In December 2019, the Solomon Islands voted in favor of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution urging states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.”[4] It has voted in favor of the annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.
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 2018.[5]
The Solomon Islands is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
The Solomon Islands is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
[1] In 2010 and 2011, officials said the government was considering acceding to the convention. 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; and Aotearoa New Zealand Cluster Munition Coalition, “Pacific action on cluster munitions,” 22 September 2011.
[2] 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.
[3] “Auckland Declaration on Conventional Weapons Treaties,” Pacific Conference on Conventional Weapons Treaties, Auckland, New Zealand, 12–14 February 2018. According to the declaration, during the meeting “some states not yet party to the Convention undertook to positively consider membership of it.”
[4] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 74/62, 12 December 2019.
[5] “Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 73/182, 17 December 2018. The Solomon Islands voted in favor of similar resolutions in 2013–2017, but was absent from the vote on a similar resolution in December 2019.