When crisis strikes, recovery begins immediately: families repair homes, essential services resume, roads reopen, and people return to work.  

But mines, unexploded ordnance or other explosive remnants left behind by conflict delay and endanger these efforts. 

Across the Asia-Pacific region, explosive contamination spans generations, from Myanmar’s ongoing conflict to wars that ended decades ago. Whether communities are living through conflict or rebuilding long after fighting has stopped, safe land is essential to turn early recovery into lasting progress. 

This is why the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, hosted by Lao PDR in Vientiane from September 14 to 18, matters beyond the treaty itself. As the apex global treaty banning cluster munitions and addressing their impacts, the Convention must ground future priorities in the lived realities of affected countries and communities. 

Last year in Afghanistan, I met people returning after displacement and families affected by recent earthquakes. Their determination to rebuild their homes and restore their livelihoods was evident. But one family’s experience in Baghlan province shows how dangerous those first steps can be.  

Workers repairing a damaged home struck what they thought was a piece of metal. A quick response team arrived and removed 25 artillery rounds buried under the house, protecting 8 workers and 16 family members. 

A family was trying to rebuild its home. Mine action made that possible. 

In Myanmar, my conversations with colleagues working alongside affected communities brought home how explosive contamination is deepening an already devastating crisis. In 2025, 510 recorded incidents killed or injured 745 civilians, including 155 children. Contamination is also impeding displaced people’s return, while limiting access to land, services and livelihoods. 

Mine action cannot wait for a crisis to end. It must be part of recovery from day one.  

Sri Lanka shows what clearance connected to recovery can achieve. After decades of conflict, mine action has released land for resettlement, agriculture and infrastructure. The hard work of Sri Lankan deminers, backed by strong institutions and international support, is enabling communities to return and rebuild. 

The lesson is simple: mine action is an investment in development – protecting  people today while creating the conditions for recovery tomorrow. 

Lao PDR knows this well. More than half a century after the Indochina wars, unexploded ordnance continues to affect communities. Yet sustained efforts are making a difference: since 1996, more than 2 million explosive items have been destroyed. 

The impact lies beyond the numbers. A safe field can become a farm. A safe road can connect people to markets and services. A cleared site can become a school, a health centre or other essential infrastructure. This safety gives communities the confidence to invest in their future. 

The Asian region is also advancing mine action globally. Japan and the Republic of Korea among its strongest champions. Their long-term financial and technical support are helping countries in Asia and beyond, from Ukraine and Syria to Zimbabwe.  

Countries that built mine-action capacity to address their own contamination are now supporting others. Cambodia has trained Ukrainian deminers and dog handlers. Lao PDR is working with Asian countries on mapping contaminated areas, prioritizing clearance and connecting safe land to development.  

Through South–South and triangular cooperation, capacity  developed to meet one country’s needs is contributing to regional and global expertise.   

This matters even more as climate change increases risks. Floods can move explosive ordnance. Storms and coastal erosion can expose buried munitions or contaminate land and water. Safe land is vital for communities to build climate-resilient infrastructure and livelihoods. 

Three priorities deserve particular attention as Member States convene in Vientiane. 

First, we must strengthen norms to prevent new contamination. The Convention on Cluster Munitions embodies a simple principle: the consequences of war should not be passed on to future generations. Strong implementation and wider participation remain essential. 

Second, we need predictable, long-term financing. Clearance is rarely achieved through short funding cycles. National institutions and communities need sustained support to clear land, reduce risks and assist survivors. 

Third, mine action must be a part of development and recovery planning. It should be integrated into investments in agriculture, infrastructure, resettlement, reconstruction and climate resilience from the beginning. 

Beyond hectares cleared or explosive items destroyed, success should also be measured by what becomes possible afterwards: communities rebuilding, services restored, and local economies growing. 

When communities reclaim the power to shape their future, war no longer has the final word.