LM Report 2003

Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 16 September 1998, and the treaty entered into force on 1 March 1999. It has not enacted implementing legislation. In 2001, Equatorial Guinea indicated that it requires assistance in meeting this treaty obligation.^[1] Equatorial Guinea has not yet submitted its initial Article 7 transparency report, due on 28 August 1999. It attended the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002. Equatorial Guinea co-sponsored UN General Assembly Resolution 57/74 in November 2002 calling for the universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty, but was absent during the final vote.

In February 2001, a government representative told Landmine Monitor that Equatorial Guinea has never used, produced, or imported antipersonnel mines, and does not maintain a stockpile of landmines, even for training purposes.^[2] He also said that Equatorial Guinea is not mine-affected and has no mine victims. There has been no response to Landmine Monitor’s query to the government regarding an allegation of antipersonnel mine use on the island of Bioko.^[3]

[1] Interview with Ambassador Pedro Edjang Mba Medja, Bamako, 15 February 2001.
[2] Ibid.
[3] See Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 248.