The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, signed Timor-Leste’s Declaration of Accession to the Convention on Cluster Munitions on September 15th, 2026, in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, at a ceremony held on the sidelines of the Convention’s Third Review Conference. The declaration was delivered to the President of the Conference, the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos, Thongsavanh Phomvihane. 
The signing of the declaration reaffirms national commitment to humanitarian disarmament, international humanitarian law, human security, and the protection of civilians.
Adopted in Dublin in 2008 and in force since August 1st, 2010, the Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, production, acquisition, stockpiling, and transfer of these weapons and provides for measures on stockpile destruction, clearance of cluster munition remnants, risk education, and victim assistance.
Timor-Leste participated in the Oslo Process, which led to the drafting of the Convention, and joined the consensus to adopt its text in Dublin on May 30th, 2008. National leaders have also expressed their support for the universalisation of the Convention and for international efforts in humanitarian disarmament.
The signing took place during the Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, held in Vientiane from September 14th to 18th, under the theme “Accelerating Progress Towards a World Free from the Threat of Cluster Munitions”.
In his address to the Conference on September 14th, Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas reaffirmed Timor-Leste’s determination to contribute to international efforts to promote peace, human dignity, and the protection of future generations, and called for strengthened regional and international cooperation in humanitarian disarmament.
The Conference is also considering the Vientiane Action Plan 2027–2031, which is designed to guide the implementation of the Convention over the next five years.