Article 13 of Amended Protocol II provides for a conference of High Contracting Parties to the Protocol to be held annually for the purpose of consultations and cooperation on all issues relating to the Protocol.

Pursuant to the relevant decision of the 2012 Fourteenth Annual Conference (Geneva, 14 November 2012), the Fifteenth Annual Conference of the High Contracting Parties to Amended Protocol II will be held on 13 November 2013 in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. The Conference will be presided by Ambassador Luis Gallegos of Ecuador and he will be assisted by three Vice-Presidents representing Belarus, China and Finland.

The Conference will review the status and operation of the Protocol and consider matters arising from reports by High Contracting Parties according to paragraph 4 of Article 13 of Amended Protocol II, as well as development of technologies to protect civilians against indiscriminate effects of mines. The Conference will also consider the issue on Improvised Explosive Devices.

The Conference will consider, in particular, the work of the informal open-ended Group of Experts, established by the Tenth Annual Conference, which was held on 8 and 9 April 2013.

Ms. Namdi Payne of Australia, Coordinator on Improvised Explosive Devices, assisted by Mr.
Laurent Masmejean of Switzerland as Co-Coordinator;

The issue on the operation and status of the Protocol; on matters arising from reports by High Contracting Parties according to paragraph 4 of Article 13 of Amended Protocol II, as well as development of technologies to protect civilians against indiscriminate effects of mines will be under the overall responsibility of the President-designate.

• Programme of Work CCW APII Group of Experts 2013

• Letter by the President-designate on preparations for the discussion on the Operation and status of the Protocol;
• Letter by the Coordinator on IEDs and Co-Coordinator on preparations for the discussion on IEDs;
• Letter by the ISU informing States on the Compilation of existing guidelines, best practices, and other recommendations aimed at addressing the diversion of illicit use of materials;
• Food-for-Thought Paper by the Coordinator on IEDs on developing best practices in the framework of CCW APII aimed at helping to address the diversion or illicit use of materials that can be used for IEDs;
• Non-paper by Australia on IEDs promoting discussion on information sharing on IEDs and on how to develop and improve best practice to minimise the spread of IEDs.

To see the presentations that were delivered by the experts during the Group of Experts, which have been submitted to the Secretariat, please click below:


Operation and Status of Amended Protocol II
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs)




Compilation of existing guidelines, best practices, and other recommendations aimed at addressing the diversion or illicit use of materials which can be used for IEDs

A draft Compilation was first circulated on 5 April 2012 by the Co-Coordinators on IEDs and was discussed by the Group of Experts. The Group welcomed the draft and supported its dissemination. Subsequently, the Fourteenth Annual Conference requested the Implementation Support Unit to disseminate the Compilation and, in consultation with the Coordinators and the High Contracting Parties, to maintain the Compilation on an ongoing basis, including updating it as new relevant guidelines, best practices, recommendations and other comments are published.

The High Contracting Parties are invited to update the Compilation at any moment. Please contact the ISU for any assistance on this matter.


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