Zambia
Mine Ban Policy
Policy
The Republic of Zambia signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 12 December 1997 and ratified it on 23 February 2001, becoming a State Party on 1 August 2001. Zambia enacted comprehensive domestic implementation legislation on 12 December 2003, which includes penal sanctions.[1]
At the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2008, Zambia reported that its national legislation directly covers matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1 and 2.[2] It stated that it joins others in calling for a common understanding that any mine that can be set off unintentionally by a person, thereby functioning as an antipersonnel mine, is banned, including antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or sensitive anti-handling devices. It also stated its understanding that transit of antipersonnel mines is prohibited, and that participation in joint military operations must be in adherence with the convention.[3]
Zambia submitted its ninth Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report in 2011, which covers calendar year 2010.[4] The submission consisted of a cover sheet that marked every form as “unchanged” or “not applicable” since a specified reporting period.[5]
Zambia attended the Tenth Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty in Geneva in November–December 2010, where it proposed the creation of a new Standing Committee on Cooperation and Assistance. Zambia also attended the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2011 and served as co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, Mine Risk Education and Mine Action Technologies.
Zambia is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
Production, Transfer, Stockpile Destruction, and Retained Mines
Zambia has not produced or exported antipersonnel mines. Zambia completed the destruction of a stockpile of 3,345 antipersonnel mines in October 2004.[6]
Zambia’s 2011 Article 7 report notes that all the information on its mines retained for training remains unchanged since the 2009 report.[7] It retains 2,120 mines: 100 ALPHER-120 (China); 100 AUPS-24 (Italy); 100 POMZ-2 (Russia); 200 MAUS (Russia); 230 T69 (China); 383 T59 (Russia); 702 T58 (China); 100 T. VARS-40 (Italy); and 205 T. VARS-50 (Italy).[8] Zambia has not reported on the intended purposes and actual uses of its retained mines in recent years.
[1] Act No. 16 of 2003, short-title: “Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines Act, 2003,” date of assent 11 December 2003, enacted by the Parliament of Zambia on 12 December 2003. The act “became effective” in August 2004. Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form A, 30 March 2005.
[2] The legislation is explicit about a prohibition on antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices which function as antipersonnel mines. It states that “transfer” includes “the transit of anti-personnel mines into, out of, or through Zambia by any means,” and says that members of the armed forces can participate in operations or other military activities with the armed forces of a state not party to the Convention, “Provided that the operation, exercise or military activity is not in contravention of the Convention and that such participation does not amount to active assistance in any activity prohibited by the Convention and this Act.”
[3] Statement of Zambia, Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention, Mine Ban Treaty, Geneva, 6 June 2008. Notes by the Monitor.
[4] Previous Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 reports were submitted in 2010 (for the period 1 January to 31 December 2009); and on 3 April 2009, 17 April 2008, 10 April 2007, 30 March 2006, 13 April 2005, 9 February 2004, and 31 August 2001.
[5] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010). The forms were marked as follows: Form A (unchanged since 2004); Form B (unchanged since 2004); Form C (unchanged since 2009); Form D (unchanged since 2008); Form E (not applicable); Form F (not applicable); Form G (not applicable); Form H (not applicable); Form I (unchanged since 2009); and Form J (not applicable).
[6] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form F, 13 April 2005.
[7] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010). There were discrepancies in the number and types of mines retained and consumed for training purposes reported in Zambia’s 2007 and 2008 Article 7 reports. In its 2009 Article 7 report, Zambia stated that its previous report included “arithmetic and typographical errors.” Zambia cited 3,346 as the original number of mine retained for training purposes, with 1,226 of those mines used during training in 2007, leaving 2,120 mines retained.
[8] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report, Form D, 3 April 2009.