Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention: Algeria congratulated on completing clearance operations

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APS : Friday, 22 December 2017
VIENNA (Austria) – Nobel Peace Prize 1997 Winner, American Jody Williams, Chairwoman of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, in a letter to President of the Republic Abdelaziz Bouteflika,
has paid a glowing tribute to Algeria for its commitment and action in the fight against the anti-personnel mines.
Williams handed over the letter to Algeria’s ambassador to Vienna during a ceremony held in the margins of the 16th Annual Conference of States Parties to the Ottawa Convention on the Ban of Antipersonnel Mines, which held in Vienna from 18 to 21 December 2017.
In her letter, Williams has warmly congratulated the Algerian President and Government on the achievements made by Algeria which has “fully” respected its commitments as part of the Ottawa Treaty.
Williams welcomed the completion of mine clearance operations in Algeria through the total destruction last September of the remaining stock of anti-personnel mines.
The “Algerian experience in this field should be taken as an example by all the countries of the region and the world,” she said.
This annual conference, chaired by Austria, coincides with the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Ottawa Treaty.
At the opening ceremony, Federal Chancellor of Austria, Sebastian Kurz, congratulated Algeria on the fulfillment of its treaty commitments and Sri Lanka for its accession to the Treaty.
Algeria was also congratulated by most delegations and warmly applauded after its speech to this Conference.
On the sidelines of this 16th conference, Algeria’s embassy in Vienna organized an event about the Algerian experience. The event has been attended by world figures known for their commitment to this noble cause, as Prince Mired Bin Ra’ad Bin Zeid, Special Envoy of the Ottawa Convention, American Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi, President of the 16th Conference and Kathleen Lawand, Director of Disarmament at ICRC, as well as a number of United Nations Ambassadors and Senior Officials, all of whom congratulated Algeria on its achievements in this area.
These eminent personalities highlighted the Algerian model they described as “exemplary and of high moral value” because the key to Algeria’s success in the elimination of anti-personnel mines lies in the adherence to the Treaty objectives thanks to the Government’s political will, the persevering action of the National People’s Army and to the conscious involvement of the Algerian civil society.

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