Geneva: António Guterres announced the move in a statement issued on Monday, in response to plans by several UN Member States to withdraw from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. The 1997 treaty, also known as the Ottawa Convention, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of these weapons.

According to United Nations, the Secretary-General expressed grave concern over the development without naming countries. At a time when civilians face heightened risks from widening conflicts, it is imperative to strengthen the frameworks that protect human life and dignity, he said. These announcements are particularly troubling, as they risk weakening civilian protection and undermining two decades of a normative framework that has saved countless lives.

He urged all States to adhere to humanitarian disarmament treaties and immediately halt any steps towards their withdrawal and appealed to the 32 States that have yet to join the treaty to do so without delay. These countries include China, Iran, Israel, Russia, and the United States.

The Secretary-General's campaign will center around upholding the norms of humanitarian disarmament, accelerating mine action as an enabler of human rights and sustainable development, and driving forward the vision of a mine-free world. To achieve these aims, over the next six months, this campaign will aim to re-energize public support for disarmament and will also facilitate concrete actions by States to uphold humanitarian norms and strengthen mine action, he said.

He concluded by stressing that the urgency of this matter cannot be overstated, saying the protection of innocent lives depends on our collective action and commitment.