Luxembourg Government, Handicap International Discuss Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas Issue

Luxembourg's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn, and Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Franz Fayot, met with representatives of the NGO Handicap International Luxembourg, over the weekend. 

On Friday 2 October 2020, Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, met with Mehdi Magha and Pierre Delandmeter, respectively Managing Director and President of Handicap International Luxembourg, as well as Rana Abdel Al, physiotherapist, on the premises of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The meeting enabled Rana Abdel Al, who works in Lebanon on behalf of Handicap International, to share her experience supervising a rehabilitation and inclusion programme for vulnerable populations in the field and to discuss the situation of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

Minister Jean Asselborn and his guests also addressed the issue of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA). The Foreign Minister praised the fight led by Handicap International (and which Luxembourg supports financially) against the EWIPA, the consequences of which are harmful for civilian populations. The minister recalled that Luxembourg supports the development and adoption of a political declaration at the international level on EWIPA: “The adoption of this declaration would be an important positive signal and could help to ensure better respect for international humanitarian law”.

Franz Fayot, Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, met Mehdi Magha and Rana Abdel Al the following day. Since 1999, Handicap International Luxembourg has organised a Shoe Pyramid every first Saturday in October, a symbol of the fight against anti-personnel mines, the use of cluster munitions and the mobilisation of the public against the bombardment of civilians. The minister congratulated the NGO on its efforts and reiterated the firm support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs for its missions.

For this year's pyramid, Handicap International organised a large online mobilisation and invited the public to send an email (via www.6moispourgagner.lu) to MPs urging them to take up the subject and ensure that the government is actively involved in this ongoing international process. The NGO maintained that Luxembourg can be one of the leading countries in the fight against the use of EWIPA.