On May 6, the Federal Parliament in Belgium became the first in the world to pass a resolution that asks its government to commit to avoiding the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas.
98 MPs voted in favour of the resolution, which asks the government to actively participate in the current diplomatic process that will lead to the adoption of an international political declaration against EWIPA, and to propose clear elements of language to:
- avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas;
- recognise the direct, indirect and reverberating effects; and
- provide assistance to victims and ensure rapid, unimpeded and principled humanitarian access.
The resolution had in late April been passed nearly unanimously by the Belgian National Defense Commission which declared that the Belgian government is “unequivocally against the use of explosive weapons with large impact in populated areas.”
This officially makes Belgium, a member of the EU and NATO state, the first country whose Parliament has taken a stand against EWIPA. It is hoped that several other countries will swiftly follow, and that these positions will be clearly reflected in the negotiations towards a political declaration.