Overview

LEGAL BACKGROUND

Pursuant to Article 12, paragraph 1, of the Mine Ban Convention a “Review Conference shall be convened by the Secretary-General of the United Nations five years after the entry into force of this Convention”.

The First Review Conference 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 took place from 29 November to 3 December 2004, in Nairobi, Kenya. Preparatory meetings were held in Geneva on 13 February 2004 and from 28 to 29 June 2004.

Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch of Austria was elected by the States parties as the President of the First Review Conference. Ambassador Esther Tolle, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kenya, served as Secretary-General of the Review Conference.