Actions taken:
On 18 November 2022 Ireland welcomed international delegates and high-level guests for the formal adoption conference of the Political Declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) in Dublin. The Declaration was the result of three years of a multilateral process involving UN Member States, the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and civil-society organizations, including the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW). The Declaration has now been endorsed by 87 states from all regions (including a large majority of EU and NATO states).
The Declaration recognises the nature and extent of the civilian harm caused by the use of EWIPA, including both the direct and indirect harmful effects of such use, and includes a range of practical commitments which will address this harm and improve compliance with IHL.
Norway agreed to take charge of the implementation phase of the Declaration, including, in particular, organisation of the first of the regular meetings, provided for in para 4.7 of the Declaration, to review the implementation of the Declaration. The first follow-up conference took place in Oslo on 23 April 2024. Costa Rica will host the next follow-up conference in 2025. Ireland offers its continued support to Costa Rica and continues to champion universalisation efforts through active engagement with the EWIPA Group of Friends and the newly formed EWIPA Troika (Costa Rica – Ireland – Norway).
Ireland attended the Military Workshop organised by Austria on the Implementation of the EWIPA Declaration, which took place in Vienna from 24-25 January 2024.
Ireland has also continued its EWIPA universalisation efforts through the funding and participation in EWIPA regional workshops. This includes a regional workshop in Lomé, Togo on 30-31 January 2024 alongside our partner organisation the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). Another UNODA administered EWIPA regional workshop is due to take place in Amman, Jordan in 2025. In addition to encouraging universalisation, the workshops provide an opportunity to strengthen regional dialogue and international cooperation on EWIPA on a cross-regional basis.
