Civil society, working independently, has been the watchdog of the Mine Ban Treaty. This should not remain a one-time experiment. In addition, I believe cluster munitions victims, affected individuals, families, communities and NGOs should play a central role in the monitoring and implementation of the Cluster Munitions Treaty. This is why it is critical that the reports are made available to the public. We will be looking closely at the information reported to make sure that states are living up to all elements of the Cluster Munitions Treaty. We are able to provide the best reality check on what is being reported by states, making sure the report matches the reality for survivors and their communities. I am confident that we are all working towards the same goal, that of stopping the unacceptable harm caused by cluster munitions and protecting civilians. Therefore I invite you to look at us, the affected individuals, families, communities, and NGOs, as partners. We are looking forward to working with you in the future.

Thank you