Montenegro has not yet endorsed the Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was present at but did not actively participate in the negotiations towards a Political Declaration.
Statements and positions
Montenegro has spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums: during the UN Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in 2013 it called on the parties to conflicts to “honour their obligations in refraining from the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas”1 and at the 2016 open debate, continued to express its concern at the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.2
Alongside its individual statements, Montenegro has aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas. Montenegro aligned with several statements delivered by the European Union (EU) on the issue of explosive weapons in populated areas, most recently UN General Assembly First Committee in 2023, in which the EU welcomed the Political Declaration and highlighted the importance of its adoption as well as the work ahead for implementing the Declaration’s commitments.3 In 2018 and 2019, Montenegro joined some 50 and 71 states respectively to endorse joint statements on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas at the UN General Assembly First Committee, 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 4.