Statement by H.E. Minister Charles Nqakula Minister of Defence Republic of South Africa on the occasion of the signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions Oslo, Norway
3 December 2008

Mr Prime Minister,
Honourable Ministers,
Excellencies and other members of the diplomatic community,
Civil society members,
Ladies and gentleman,

It gives me great pleasure to be able to participate in this Signing Ceremony here today on behalf of South Africa.  We have not only actively participated in the Oslo Process since February last year, but we are also satisfied with the result, which has culminated in the signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions here in Oslo today.

Shortly after the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, the Government reviewed its position regarding the manufacture, possession and trading in conventional arms. A Coordinating Committee of Cabinet Ministers was established to monitor the entire process from production to sale of conventional arms, thereby introducing checks and balances.

In pursuit of this objective, we ratified a number of major international legally binding instruments in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation, including the Certain Conventional Weapons Convention, which is aimed at prohibiting or restricting the use of weapons that cause unacceptable harm to civilians.

We are also supporting some countries in the African Continent such as Mozambique, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and Eritrea with the clearance of landmines in their territories.

When the States Parties to the Certain Conventional Weapons failed to agree to a mandate to negotiate an international, legally binding instrument on cluster munitions in 2006, there were not many who actually believed that we would gather here in Oslo two years later.  Thanks to our collective efforts, led amongst others by our hosts, Norway, we are here this week to sign this groundbreaking international Treaty.  In this regard, it would be remiss of me not to thank the tireless efforts of our partners in civil society in reminding States of their responsibility to negotiate a comprehensive internationally legally binding instrument and tobe here in Oslo and sign the Convention.

In doing so, we recognise that this landmark humanitarian disarmament instrument sets a new standard in our collective commitment to the principles of international humanitarian law and South Africa is fully committed to the Convention’s full implementation.  As a country that used to produce and stockpile cluster munitions that have an area wide effect, we have come to the belief that these weapons have not only become obsolete as weapons of modern warfare, but that their recent use in conflicts have shown them to cause unacceptable harm to civilians, long after the cessation of active hostilities.

South Africa has in its stocks a relatively small stockpile of outdated cluster munitions.  I wish to announce here today that these munitions have been earmarked for destruction.

Importantly, this Convention contains pioneering provisions on victim assistance, a crucial humanitarian assistance provision that sets a new standard on the responsibilities of States in dealing with cluster munitions victims and their dependants.
I am also pleased to note the wide degree of support that the Convention on Cluster Munitions has received amongst States in general during the Oslo Process, particularly the huge endorsement from most African States.
South Africa comes here to Oslo inspired by the “Kampala Action Plan”, adopted by the 42 African States that met in the Ugandan capital two months ago.  All of our States present there made an undertaking to ratify this Convention as soon as possible and I can assure you that South Africa will commence its ratification process as a matter of priority.
As a continent that has been ravaged by wars, often fuelled by weapons produced elsewhere in the world, it is my hope that we will one day soon be able to call Africa a truly cluster munitions free continent.
By signing this Convention in increasing numbers as we have begun to do this week, we will succeed in rendering cluster munitions obsolete as weapons of war.  By doing so, we will be able to stigmatise their use to the extent where we will be able to reflect on what we had set out to do in February last year.
Then, back here in Oslo, South Africa was one of the 46 States that agreed to negotiate a Convention that prohibits cluster munitions that cause unacceptable harm to civilians.
In conclusion, let us hope that through such a stigmatisation process we will persuade those States that choose not to join us in signing this Convention, to effectively do away with all cluster munitions and thereby cause absolutely no further harm to civilians.
I thank you.

Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs

Private Bag X152
Pretoria

3 December 2008