Kiribati
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary
Non-signatory Kiribati has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps to join it. Kiribati voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2020.
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 to accede to it. In September 2011, Kiribati 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 attended the convention’s Second Meeting of States Parties in September 2011 as an observer. This was the first and is to date the last time that Kiribati attended a meeting of the convention.
In December 2020, 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 2020.[4]
Kiribati is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It has not joined the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).
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”, UNGA Resolution 75/62, 7 December 2020.
[4] “Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 75/193, 16 December 2020. Kiribati voted in favor of similar previous resolutions in 2013–2016 and 2018–2019. It was absent from the vote 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.
Mine Ban Policy
The Republic of Kiribati acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 7 September 2000, becoming a State Party on 1 March 2001. Kiribati believes that existing legislation is sufficient to enforce the antipersonnel mine prohibition domestically.
Kiribati has not attended any recent meetings of the treaty. It did not attend the Third Review Conference in Maputo in June 2014. Kiribati submitted its second Article 7 transparency report on 4 June 2004 but has not submitted subsequent annual reports.
Kiribati is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons, nor is it party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Kiribati has never used, produced, imported, exported, or stockpiled antipersonnel mines, including for training purposes.
Kiribati has residual unexploded ordnance contamination from World War II.