The ban on cluster munition must remain solid

“The Vientiane conference should be a genuine effort to reinforce a weakening humanitarian norm. It's notable for taking place in Laos, the most affected country in the world, and it is producing an action plan (2027–2031) — but it comes at a moment when the treaty faces its most serious tests since adoption, with: rising battlefield use and casualties (especially tied to the Ukraine war), one state's withdrawal, and reports of rearmament by some states. Whether states parties translate it into funding for clearance and victim assistance, and diplomatic pressure on non-parties and violators or not, it is the key of the treaty progress.”

HI Advocacy Manager Alma Taszlidzan

A conference with substance, but a thinner room.

66 of the 112 States Parties were in the room, alongside 7 signatories and 17 observers. This represents a modest turnout for a landmark five-year Review Conference, with fewer than 60% of States Parties present.

The conference was chaired by Lao PDR, the country most heavily contaminated by cluster munitions. The Lao Prime Minister personally opened the conference, signalling that the government considers cluster munition contamination a top national priority.

Laos was heavily contaminated during the Indochina War. An estimated 80 million unexploded submunitions remain from more than 270 million that were dropped. Laos was among the first countries to sign and ratify the Convention, doing so in 2010.

Real challenges for the treaty

HI has been pressing delegations to explicitly condemn the production, transfer, and use of cluster munitions by non-party countries and to reaffirm the push for universal treaty membership. The association is calling states to defend the Treaty that is under great challenges.

Casualty data shows a renewed global threat by cluster munitions: Over 1000 people were killed or injured by cluster munitions in 2025 across Afghanistan, Cambodia, Iraq, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Myanmar, Russia, Syria, and Ukraine. That is one of the highest figures recorded. 87% of these recorded casualties were civilians.

Lithuania's withdrawal from the Convention in March 2025 is a notable setback, the first such departure by a state party.

During the conference non-state-party Thailand admitted it used cluster munitions against Cambodia at the same border in 2011, and again in July 2025 near Preah Vihear, each time defending the strikes as targeted at military objects with low-dud-rate munitions – an invalid argumentation as it has been proved that dud-rates are always higher during actual operations and that the majority of casualties are always civilians. Cluster munitions were also used in Mali (party to the Treaty) with the perpetrator still unconfirmed.

Survivors’ presence: The conference's strongest asset

As victim assistance is the pillar of the Cluster Munition Treaty, the conference benefits enormously from survivors driving the narrative rather than being spoken about.

Survivors were present at the opening ceremony and several side events, and their active role in victim assistance was mentioned in many state statements. Phongsavath Manitong, leader of a survivor organisation, organised a moving evening event which included the sharing of personal stories by Lao survivors, as well as a song celebrating the Convention from the perspective of survivors.

During the conference, HI raised the importance to include survivors in any decision related to victim assistance and called states to reinforce predictable and reliable funding support in that domain.

HI deplores that affected states emphasised the need for funding during the conference, while donors confirmed the reduction in the budget for Mine Action.

In 2025, approximately US$116 million in international and national funding was provided to address the impact of cluster munition contamination in States Parties to the Convention. Afghanistan, Chad, Chile, Mauritania and Somalia faced funding gaps that may continue to impede survey and clearance activities. Many countries including the United States, Germany, France, United Kingdom etc., announced budget cuts.

A plan for the five next years

The conference adopted the Vientiane Capital Action Plan 2027–2031, setting strategic priorities on clearance, victim assistance, stockpile destruction, international cooperation, universalization, and national implementation, plus a new Political Declaration reaffirming states' commitment to the Convention to ending the suffering caused by these weapons while also mentioning worrying developments.