In General Assembly resolution 73/266, the Secretary-General was requested to establish a Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing responsible State behaviour in cyberspace in the context of international security. The GGE held its first meeting in 2019 and is to submit its final report to the General Assembly in 2021. The group is comprised of 25 members and its Chair will hold two informal consultations with all UN Member States in between its sessions. The mandate also includes consultations on the subject to be held with regional organizations, such as the African Union, the European Union, the Organization of American States, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Regional Forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Group of Governmental Expert comprises of experts from 25 States working in their personal capacity. The Group has elected Ambassador Guilherme de Aguiar Patriota of Brazil to Chair the Group.

LEGAL BACKGROUND
Pursuant to Article 11, paragraph 1, of the Mine Ban Convention the “States Parties shall meet regularly in order to consider any matter with regard to the application or implementation of this Convention, including:
a) The operation and status of this Convention;
b) Matters arising from the reports submitted under the provisions of this Convention;
c) International cooperation and assistance in accordance with Article 6;
d) The development of technologies to clear anti-personnel mines;
e) Submissions of States Parties under Article 8; and
f) Decisions relating to submissions of States Parties as provided for in Article 5."

The Fourth Review Conference of the States Parties decided to convene annually, until the Fifth Review Conference, a Meeting of the States Parties for up to five days at the end of November or beginning of December. Furthermore, the Fourth Review Conference decided to hold the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties in Geneva, Switzerland, during the week of 16 November 2020 and to elect Ambassador Osman Abufatima Adam Mohammed of Sudan, President of the Eighteenth Meeting.

In accordance with resolution 74/61 of the General Assembly of the United Nations and the provisions of the Convention , the Secretary-General of the United Nations is undertaking all preparations necessary to convene the Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties. Accordingly, a note verbale by the Secretary-General on convening the Eighteenth Meeting was circulated, as follows:

DATE AND VENUE
The Eighteenth Meeting of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction will take place during the week of 16 November 2020 in UNOG, Palais des nations, Geneva.

REGISTRATION

All registration letters or notes verbales should reach the UNODA Geneva Branch no later than Monday 9 November 2020, preferably by e-mail (aplc@un.org) or by regular mail.

All participants must be registered. Kindly note that formal credentials are not required for this Meeting.

States parties wishing to participate should send a note verbale to the attention of the Executive Secretary of the Meeting informing on their intention to participate in the Conference and listing all participants, with indication of full name and title of the members of the delegation. The head of delegation should be clearly indicated.

States not party wishing to participate as observers should send a note verbale to the attention of the Executive Secretary of the Eighteenth Meeting informing on their intention to participate in the Conference and listing all participants, with indication of full name and title of the members of the delegation. The head of delegation should be clearly indicated.

Organizations, such as the United Nations Secretariat, UNHCR, UNDP, UNICEF, WHO, WFP, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Sovereign Order of Malta, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining wishing to participate as observers should send an official letter to the attention of the Executive Secretary of the Eighteenth Meeting stating their interest to participate in the Conference and listing all participants, with indication of full name and title of the members of the delegation. The head of delegation should be clearly indicated.

Other non-profit international organizations or institutions, regional organizations and non-governmental organizations, the purpose and activities of which are consistent with the object and purpose of the Convention, wishing to participate as observers may attend the Eighteenth Meeting as observers upon receipt of an invitation to do so provided by the Coordinating Committee and subject to approval of the Meeting. These interested organisations that wish to request Official Observer Status should write to the Executive Secretary of the Eighteenth Meeting who will forward requests to the Coordinating Committee.

All note verbales or official letters (for organisations) should be addressed to the following address:
Executive Secretary of the Eighteenth Meeting of the
States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention
UN Office of Disarmament Affairs (Geneva Branch)
Palais des Nations, Office C-113.1
Avenue de la Paix 8 – 14
1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
E-mail : aplc@un.org

Member organisations of the ICBLthat wish to take part in the Eighteenth Meeting should contact the ICBL office in Geneva, which will collect necessary information from prospective ICBL delegates and forward it to the Executive Secretary. For more information, please contact the ICBL at elea@icblcmc.org .