The Sixteenth Meeting of States Parties (16MSP) to the Mine Ban Treaty took place from 18 to 21 December 2017 at the UN Office at Vienna, Austria.
2017 marks 20 years since the Mine Ban Treaty was adopted, when the international community agreed to end the scourge of landmines once and for all. Following the adoption, on 3 December 1997 the treaty was signed by 122 States; it entered into force on 1 March 1999. To date, 162 nations have formally joined the treaty. The 16MSP provided a good opportunity for the international community to take stock of what have been achieved so far and to reaffirm commitments for a mine-free world by 2025.
His Excellency Thomas Hajnoczi, Ambassador of Austria to the United Nations in Geneva wasthe President of the 16MSP. Ambassador Hajnoczi focused on Universalization, Victim Assistance and Mine Clearance of the Mine Ban Treaty. Click here to read Ambassador Hajnoczi’s priorities for the 16MSP.