The Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) is a disarmament treaty that comprehensively bans the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions—weapons that disperse multiple explosive submunitions over a wide area. It was adopted in Dublin on 30 May 2008, opened for signature in Oslo on 3 December 2008, and entered into force on 1 August 2010 after reaching 30 ratifications.
The treaty emerged from the Oslo Process, a coalition of states, UN agencies, the ICRC, and the Cluster Munition Coalition NGO network that launched negotiations in February 2007 after years of frustration with the deadlock in the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW). The humanitarian impetus was driven in part by the heavy use of cluster bombs during the 2006 Israel–Hezbollah war in southern Lebanon, where large numbers of unexploded submunitions remained after the ceasefire.
Core obligations include:
- Article 1: prohibition on use, development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, or transfer of cluster munitions.
- Article 3: destruction of stockpiles within eight years of entry into force for that state party.
- Article 4: clearance of contaminated areas within ten years.
- Article 5: victim assistance, including medical care, rehabilitation, and socio-economic inclusion—a notably progressive feature compared with earlier weapons treaties.
- Article 21: governs relations with non-party states, allowing interoperability in joint military operations while requiring parties to discourage cluster munition use.
Several major military powers remain outside the regime, including the United States, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, and both Koreas. Use by non-parties has continued to be documented, notably in the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Ukraine. In 2023 the United States transferred cluster munitions to Ukraine, prompting expressions of concern from states parties such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Meetings of States Parties review implementation annually, with Review Conferences held every five years (Dubrovnik 2015, Lausanne 2020).
Example
In July 2023, when the United States announced it would supply cluster munitions to Ukraine, several CCM states parties—including Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain—publicly reaffirmed their treaty obligations and opposition to such transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Notable non-parties include the United States, Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Israel, Brazil, South Korea, and North Korea—states that produce, stockpile, or have recently used cluster munitions.
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