Comoros was not directly involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was, however, among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022.
Comoros attended the first international follow-up conference on the Political Declaration in Norway in April 2024.
Statements and positions
Comoros has aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas in various international forums. At the Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in 2024, the Arab Group, of which Comoros is a member, drew attention to the Political Declaration, and the importance of strengthening civilian protection from the humanitarian consequences of explosive weapons in populated areas.1
As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Comoros aligned with World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to ‘Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity’ in May 2016, including the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.”2
Comoros also endorsed the Ireland-led joint statement during the United Nations General Assembly’s First Committee in 2019.3 The statement encouraged states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international Political Declaration on this issue.4