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Countries succeed in meeting UN treaty deadline for destroying landmines

27 February – Forty-four of the 45 countries required to destroy their remaining stockpiles of landmines under a United Nations treaty have succeeded in doing so within the prescribed time frame, making it one of the most successful disarmament accords, UN officials said today.

"I congratulate the countries that have met the deadline for destroying their stockpiles. This is an important contribution to peace, security and the well-being of individuals and communities worldwide," UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a statement read by Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Jayantha Dhanapala at a press briefing in New York today.

The 1999 Ottawa Treaty, formally known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction, expresses the parties' determination to put an end to the suffering and casualties caused by anti-personnel mines. After signing on, a country has four years to destroy all of its landmines, except for a limited number reserved for training purposes.

Mr. Dhanapala told reporters that 1 March was the fourth anniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty, to which 131 countries have ratified or acceded. Fifty-five countries have so far destroyed more than 30 million landmines, and in addition, the number of manufacturers worldwide has dropped to 14, down from about 55. Many of the countries that had not yet signed the agreement have nevertheless banned their export, he added.

Mr. Dhanapala said that the Secretary-General also called on countries that have not acceded to the treaty to follow suit as soon as possible. "Only with universal participation will we eliminate the scourge of landmines and alleviate the misery they cause every day around the world," he said.

Joining Mr. Dhanapala at the briefing was Martin Barber, Director of the UN Mine Action Services (UNMAS), who told reporters that the UN was presently supporting mine action in 35 countries. He noted that a shortage of resources and the lack of security in accessing those countries that have not yet committed to the goals of the Convention posed a challenge.

Mr. Barber also pointed out that commitments by donor governments amounted to about $200 million per year for such activities as mine clearance and victim assistance. He stressed the importance of keeping those donors committed and persuading them to increase their level of support.