Kiribati
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary
Non-signatory Kiribati has shown interest in the Convention on Cluster Munitions, but has not taken any steps to join it. It last participated in a meeting of the convention in 2011. Kiribati voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2021.
Kiribati has stated that it has never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
Policy
The Republic of Kiribati has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Kiribati has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps to accede to it. In September 2011, Kiribati told States Parties that the government was considering joining the convention.[1] In February 2018, Kiribati attended a regional conference in Auckland, New Zealand, which adopted a declaration affirming “the clear moral and humanitarian rationale for joining” the Convention on Cluster Munitions.”[2]
Kiribati did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the convention.
Kiribati attended the convention’s Second Meeting of States Parties held in Beirut, Lebanon in September 2011 as an observer. This was Kiribati’s first and, to date, only attendance at a meeting of the convention.
In December 2021, Kiribati voted in favor of a key United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution urging states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.”[3] It has voted in favor of the annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.
Kiribati has voted in favor of UNGA resolutions condemning use of cluster munitions in Syria.[4]
Kiribati is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
Kiribati stated in September 2011 that it “has never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.”[5]
Kiribati is affected by unexploded ordnance (UXO), particularly in Betio and South Tarawa, but is not known to be contaminated by cluster munition remnants.[6]
[1] Statement of Kiribati, Convention on Cluster Munitions Second Meeting of States Parties, Beirut, 16 September 2011.
[2] The declaration states that during the meeting, “some states not yet party to the Convention undertook to positively consider membership of it.” See, “Auckland Declaration on Conventional Weapons Treaties,” Pacific Conference on Conventional Weapons Treaties, Auckland, 12–14 February 2018.
[3] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 76/47, 6 December 2021.
[4] “Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 75/193, 24 December 2021. Kiribati voted in favor of similar UNGA resolutions from 2013–2020.
[5] Statement of Kiribati, Convention on Cluster Munitions Second Meeting of States Parties, Beirut, 16 September 2011.
[6] The government has stated that Kiribati is not affected by antipersonnel landmines. Statement of Kiribati, Mine Ban Treaty Second Review Conference, Cartagena, 4 December 2009.