Solomon Islands
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary
Non-signatory the Solomon Islands 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. The Solomon Islands voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2021.
The Solomon Islands is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
Policy
The Solomon Islands has not yet acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It has shown interest in the convention, but has not taken any steps to join.[1]
The Solomon Islands did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The Solomon Islands has participated as an observer at the convention’s meetings, but not since 2011.[2] It has attended regional workshops on cluster munitions, most recently one hosted in Auckland, New Zealand in February 2018, which issued a declaration affirming “the clear moral and humanitarian rationale for joining” the Convention on Cluster Munitions.[3]
In December 2021, the Solomon Islands voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution urging states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.”[4] It has voted in favor of the annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.
The Solomon Islands 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
The Solomon Islands is not known to have ever used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
[1] In 2010 and 2011, officials said the government was considering acceding to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) meeting with George Hoa’au, Assistant Secretary for the UN and Treaties, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, in Vientiane, 9 November 2010; and Aotearoa New Zealand Cluster Munition Coalition, “Pacific action on cluster munitions,” 22 September 2011.
[2] The Solomon Islands participated as an observer at the convention’s Meetings of States Parties in 2010–2011 but did not make any statements.
[3] “Auckland Declaration on Conventional Weapons Treaties,” Pacific Conference on Conventional Weapons Treaties, Auckland, 12–14 February 2018. According to the declaration, during the meeting “some states not yet party to the Convention undertook to positively consider membership of it.”
[4] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 76/47, 6 December 2021.
Mine Ban Policy
Policy
The Solomon Islands signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997 and ratified it on 26 January 1999, becoming a State Party on 1 July 1999. The Solomon Islands has not taken action to enforce the antipersonnel mine prohibition domestically, but reported in 2018 that the government held a series of workshops in 2017 that resulted in an agreement to draft a new “UXO Act.”[1]
The Solomon Islands has not attended any recent meetings of the treaty. It did not attend the Third Review Conference in Maputo in June 2014. The Solomon Islands submitted its initial Article 7 transparency report on 11 February 2004, covering 1 July 1999 to 31 December 2004, and in 2018 provided its only updated report covering the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2017.
The Solomon Islands is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons, nor is it party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
Use, production, transfer, and stockpile
The Solomon Islands has never used, produced, exported, or imported antipersonnel mines, including for training purposes.
The Solomon Islands is contaminated by unexploded ordinance (UXO) from World War II.
[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 2018. The Solomon Islands reported that the government “has also established an inter-ministerial ‘UXO Coordination Committee’ and is developing a UXO Policy, UXO Action Plan and National UXO Standards.”
Support for Mine Action
The Solomon Islands are contaminated with unexploded ordnance (UXO) dating from World War II. In 2011, the United States (US) provided US$400,000 to the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation to train the Solomon Islands Police’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) section to EOD Level 2 and to conduct any necessary clearance in preparation for establishing the section’s headquarters on Guadalcanal.[1]
In 2012, the US supported the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation with $556,667 to continue providing Level 2 EOD training and technical oversight to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force’s EOD team on Guadalcanal. Additionally, in 2012 the US Department of Defense Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program began an operational field evaluation of the Badger armored excavator with the Golden West Humanitarian Foundation. The Badger provides access to EOD teams to locate and clear UXO and abandoned explosive ordnance (AXO) at Hells Point, where the contamination has endangered local populations and destroyed fishing grounds. The Badger cleared 305,000m2 of dense jungle vegetation in difficult terrain and found 602 items of UXO and AXO.[2]
Japan contributed ¥5.1 million ($64,082) through the Japan Mine Action Service.
International contributions: 2012[3]
|
Donor |
Sector |
Amount (national currency) |
Amount ($) |
|
US |
Clearance |
$556,667 |
556,667 |
|
Japan |
Clearance |
¥5,115,025 |
64,082 |
|
Total |
|
|
620,749 |
[1] US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2012,” Washington DC, July 2012.
[2] US Department of State, “To Walk the Earth in Safety 2013,” Washington DC, August 2013, p. 24; and Japan, Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, Amended Protocol II, 28 March 2013.
[3] Ibid. Average exchange rate for 2012: ¥79.82=US$1. US Federal Reserve, “List of Exchange Rates (Annual),” 3 January 2013.