Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane gives a press conference at the close of the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions on Friday.          --Photo Sangkhomxay

Cluster munitions conference adopts plan to accelerate response

The cluster munitions conference, which ended in Vientiane on Friday, has adopted a five-year plan to strengthen unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance, victim assistance and international cooperation over the next five years.
The Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions took place from September 14-18 under the theme “Accelerating Progress Towards a World Free from the Threat of Cluster Munitions”.
The Vientiane Capital Action Plan for 2027-2031 was one of three key documents adopted at the conference, together with the Review Document on the Lausanne Action Plan for 2022-2026 and the Political Declaration.
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane, who served as President of the conference, said participants had reviewed progress to date and agreed on practical steps to address remaining challenges.
The five-year action plan comprises 43 tasks covering key areas including stockpile destruction, survey and clearance of UXO-contaminated land, risk education, assistance for UXO-related accident victims and survivors, and stronger international cooperation.
It also calls for greater domestic resource mobilisation alongside sustainable and predictable funding. It promotes evidence-based approaches, greater participation by affected communities and accident victims, and stronger consideration of environmental and climate-related issues.

Mr Thongsavanh Phomvihane, serving as president of the conference, presides over a session of the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions alongside other delegates.      --Photo Sangkhomxay

Mr Thongsavan said the real value of the conference would be judged by the results achieved after the delegates leave Vientiane.
“The success of this Review Conference will not be measured only by the documents adopted here in Vientiane, but by how effectively we implement them in the years ahead,” he said.
Unexploded ordnance continues to affect communities decades after the Indochina War ended and is inextricably linked to safety, livelihoods and development in Laos.
According to expert assessments, an estimated 80 million UXO items, mostly cluster munitions, remain in Laos, with only just over one million having been removed and deactivated.
“Many communities still live with contamination that threatens their safety, restricts livelihoods, and limits opportunities for development,” Mr Thongsavan said.
UXO clearance, risk education and assistance for victims and survivors remain national priorities because the effects of cluster munitions continue to affect families and communities across generations, he added.
The conference also highlighted the need for stronger and more reliable international support.
“Affected States cannot address these challenges alone,” Mr Thongsavan said.
He called for sustained financial support, technical assistance, capacity-building and stronger partnerships to help affected countries achieve lasting progress.
The conference encouraged donor countries, international organisations, humanitarian and development partners and other stakeholders to maintain and, where possible, strengthen their support for affected countries and communities.
The meeting also encouraged countries that have not yet joined the Convention to consider doing so, in an effort to broaden its global reach.
The conference brought together more than 500 delegates from 91 countries, including 74 States Parties and 17 observer states, as well as 27 international organisations.
Another significant development during the conference was the signing by Timor-Leste of a declaration of commitment to accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The move came as participating countries continue efforts to expand adherence to the Convention and strengthen international cooperation in response to the humanitarian consequences of cluster munitions.
The conference also placed survivors and affected communities at the centre of future efforts.
Participants stressed that their experiences, needs and perspectives should guide work carried out under the Convention so that assistance better meets the needs of people still living with the consequences of these munitions.
Over the five-day conference, States, international organisations and civil society groups jointly hosted 18 side events covering a range of issues related to cluster munitions, of which Laos co-hosted nine events.
The conference reviewed progress in universalisation, stockpile destruction, land clearance, risk education, victim assistance, national measures, transparency and international cooperation.
The visiting delegations praised Laos for its presidency and for hosting the conference, recognising its efforts to address UXO contamination through national ownership, cooperation across sectors, and regular reporting on progress.
Mr Thongsavan said the Lao government would continue working with States Parties and partners to speed up UXO clearance, strengthen risk education and victim assistance, and promote sustained international cooperation.
“The use of cluster munitions must not be tolerated; the suffering caused by cluster munitions must end,” he said.

By Phonepaseuth Volakhoun
 (Latest Update September 21, 2026)