Micronesia

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

Last updated: 13 September 2021

Summary

Non-signatory the Federated States of Micronesia has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps to join. It has never attended a meeting of the convention, but voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2020.

The Federated States of Micronesia is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.

Policy

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

FSM has shown interest in the convention, but it has not taken any steps to accede to it.[1] In February 2018, it attended a regional conference that issued a declaration affirming “the clear moral and humanitarian rationale for joining” the Convention on Cluster Munitions.[2]

FSM did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the convention and has never attended a meeting of the convention.

In December 2020, FSM 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.

FSM has voted in favor of UNGA resolutions expressing outrage at the use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently in December 2020.[4]

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

FSM is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.



[1] In the past, government officials have expressed various views on the matter of FSM acceding to the convention. In 2011, a senior Department of Foreign Affairs official told the Monitor of FSM’s “intention to be a party” to the convention, which he said would be submitted to Congress for approval along with a similar proposal to join the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. Letter from Lorin S. Robert, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs of FSM to Mark Hiznay, Human Rights Watch, 29 April 2011. In 2009, a representative of FSM cited the country’s capacity constraints in meeting its treaty obligations and added that FSM’s Compact of Free Association with the United States (US) requires that it clears any strategic defense decisions with the US before joining any international treaties. ICBL-CMC meeting with Martin Zvachula, Second Secretary, Permanent Mission of FSM to the UN in New York, 19 October 2009. Notes by the ICBL-CMC.

[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, New Zealand, 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. FSM voted in favor of similar resolutions in 2013–2019.