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Angola

HAS NOT ENDORSED THE POLITICAL DECLARATION

Angola has not yet endorsed the Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (explosive weapons in populated areas). It did, however, participate in the negotiations towards a Political Declaration. At the second consultation toward a Political Declaration in February 2020, Angola delivered general remarks on behalf of the Group of African States in response to the proposed elements for the Political Declaration. In the remarks, Angola called for the Political Declaration to recognise the extent of harm of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and to be “actionable, measurable, result–based; with action-oriented commitments that strengthen accountability and combat impunity.” 1

Statements and positions

In 2017, Angola endorsed the communiqué arising from the Maputo Regional Meeting on Protecting Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas2. The Maputo Communiqué discussed the harms of explosive weapons in populated areas, the role of African states in working against it, and the need to create a Political Declaration on the matter. The 19 African states present agreed to work independently and cooperatively to, inter alia: avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas; encourage collection of data and information; fully support the process towards adoption of an international Political Declaration; promote bilateral and regional cooperation through sharing experiences, good practices and expertise on reducing the harm caused by explosive weapons to civilians; constructively engage in discussions and initiatives at international level that could effectively provide greater protection to civilians in armed conflicts; foster deeper and further engagement from African States; and strengthen cooperation and partnerships with international organizations and civil society organisations to draw upon their relevant expertise and support.

Angola was also one of 50 states to endorse the joint statement on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2018, calling attention to the devastating and long-lasting humanitarian impact of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and urging states to reverse the trend of high levels of civilian harm.3

  1. ’Group of African States Draft Statement at the Informal Consultations on the Political Declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas’. Reaching Critical Will. 10 February 2020. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/ewipa/declaration/statements/10Feb_African-States.pdf.
  2. ‘Communiqué from Maputo Regional Conference on the Protection of Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas’. INEW. 28 November 2017. Available from: https://www.inew.org/maputo-regional-conference-on-the-protection-of-civlians-from-the-use-of-explosive-weapons-in-populated-areas/.
  3. ‘UNGA73 First Committee Joint Statement on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (explosive weapons in populated areas)’. Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations. 25 October 2018. https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/statements/25Oct_explosive weapons in populated areas.pdf.

Other State Positions