Under-Secretary of State de Mistura chaired the meeting of the National Committee for Humanitarian Action Against Anti-Personnel Mines which took place at the Foreign Ministry on 8 February 2012. The meeting was attended by representatives of other government departments, associations, NGOs and companies working in the humanitarian demining sector.
During the meeting, initiatives funded in 2011 and those planned for 2012 through the Humanitarian Deming Fund were illustrated. Participants were also up-dated on progress in the international debate in the sector, especially as regards the implementation of the Anti-Personnel Landmines Convention (Ottawa Convention). The meeting was an opportunity for dialogue with representatives of civil society, who were unanimous in their appreciation of the initiatives undertaken thus far and who also provided useful suggestions and proposals for the future.
Under-Secretary of State de Mistura reminded participants of Italy’s historic awareness of this problem, as evidenced by the active role our country has played under the Ottawa Convention. Further testimony is our recent ratification of the Oslo Convention on Cluster Munitions, which will enter into force in Italy on 1 March 2012. The Under-Secretary of State also underscored Italy’s commitment to step up its activity in providing assistance to victims and to encourage the universal adoption of the two Conventions.