Convention on Cluster Munitions - Intersessionals
General Status and Operation - Implementation Support Unit
Statement by Australia
8 April 2014
Thank you Mr Coordinator
Australia notes that a clear decision to establish the ISU was taken back at 2MSP, followed by a number of concrete steps decided at the 4MSP on a transition towards a fully functioning ISU. We remain of the view that the sooner we establish a fully functional permanent Implementation Support Unit, the sooner it can start its important work in supporting States Parties to implement the CCM. We recognise and appreciate the unwavering work and support of the UNDP as the CCM interim ISU to date and during the transitional process towards the permanent ISU.
We appreciate the 4MSP President’s non-paper and detail provided on the recruitment of the ISU Director and draft terms of reference which were circulated yesterday morning at this meeting. While we are still reviewing the details of these documents, we would like to take this opportunity to make some suggestions on the way ahead.
It has been seven months since we met in Lusaka, and we remain supportive of the President’s mandate to decide, in a transparent way, on the recruitment of the ISU Director. We remain hopeful that the 5MSP deadline to commence the transition from the interim ISU to the permanent ISU fully functioning is met and that the transition process remains on track for completion by the First Review Conference in 2015.
Sticking to these timeframes, in our view, is important to ensuring that both the 5MSP President and President-designate to the First Review Conference have the steady support they need during the transition process that States Parties had decided needed to take place. This, we also believe, is significant for the credibility of this Convention to show that States Parties can together follow through on their decisions, on time and efficiently.
The 5MSP deadline is quickly approaching us. Without the new ISU Director in place in some way, we find it difficult to see how the transition process can effectively commence and be taken forward smoothly in accordance with the 4MSP decision. The time for the new permanent ISU to take over the Secretariat functions by the First Review Conference is limited, so we would expect that the new Director would need to be engaged earlier rather than later to prepare for a fully functioning ISU.
In the time we have left before the 5MSP, we hope that the steps to recruit the ISU Director can be undertaken without delay. We believe it is possible for the President to find ways to expedite and simplify some aspects of the recruitment process, while remaining fully transparent to all States Parties and ensuring a suitable candidate is identified.
I thank you.