§ Mr. David StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent steps her Department has taken to promote the convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines. [31281]
§ Clare ShortThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office leads on promoting the Ottawa Convention. It does so by playing a full role in the follow-up process, including taking suitable opportunities to lobby States non-party to the convention about the desirability of ratification or accession.
DFID helps developing countries implement their obligations under the Ottawa Convention. We do this by undertaking programmes of humanitarian mine action, in particular mine clearance, stockpile destruction, raising mines awareness and strengthening indigenous capacity.
My Department also works to strengthen the international community's capacity, particularly that of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)— to provide a more coherent, timely and cost-effective response.
In the current financial year DFID expects to spend approximately £10 million in pursuit of these objectives.