Cluster munitions: “The suffering must not continue for another generation”

Opening Statement by ICRC Vice President Jürg Lauber at the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Vientiane, Lao People's Democratic Republic, 14 September, 2026 Mr President, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, I would first like to thank the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for its leadership in hosting this Third Review Conference. Given the devastating legacy of cluster munitions in Laos, your country brings a powerful voice and strong moral authority to our collective efforts to strengthen the Convention. Cluster munitions are a horrible weapon. They cause grave destruction during war and pose great danger to civilians long after the fighting has ended. Ridding areas of these weapons is painstaking, costly and can take decades. Despite the risks they pose, they continue to be produced, transferred and used by States not party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Their ongoing use continues to lead to new civilian casualties and more areas contaminated. In addition to this, the pace of universalization of the Convention has slowed. In the five years since the last Review Conference, the number of States Parties to the Convention went from 110 to 112, with three joining and one withdrawing. The International Committee of the Red Cross has witnessed the horrific consequences of these weapons firsthand. The bomblets left by cluster munitions can be easily mistaken as a toy, killing and maiming children. They lurk in farmlands, leaving farmers unable to cultivate their land. They prevent communities from returning to their homes and rebuilding their lives. They perpetuate cycles of suffering and displacement. Last year alone, our teams in 28 countries provided physical rehabilitation services to more than 25,000 people suffering often life-long injuries because of explosive remnants of war. Many of those we treat are grappling with debilitating physical injuries that also have psychological and financial impacts.