+   *    +     +     
About Us 
The Issues 
Our Research Products 
Order Publications 
Multimedia 
Press Room 
Resources for Monitor Researchers 
ARCHIVES HOME PAGE 
    >
 
Table of Contents
Country Reports
Guinea, Landmine Monitor Report 2003

Guinea

Key developments since May 2002: Guinea’s treaty-mandated deadline for stockpile destruction was 1 April 2003. Guinea has not met its obligation to submit an initial Article 7 transparency report, and annual updates, and has not informed the United Nations or other States Parties if it has met its obligation to destroy all stockpiled antipersonnel mines within four years of entry into force.

Guinea signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 4 December 1997 and ratified it on 8 October 1998. It entered into force for the country on 1 April 1999. Guinea has not submitted its initial Article 7 transparency report, which was due on 28 September 1999. It is not known to have undertaken any national implementation measures, as required by Article 9.

Guinea attended the Fourth Meeting of States Parties. It participated in the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in February 2003, but not in May. On 22 November 2002, Guinea voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 57/74, calling for universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Guinea is not known to have produced or exported antipersonnel mines. It is one of the few States Parties that has not publicly and officially acknowledged whether or not it maintains a stockpile of antipersonnel mines. Landmine Monitor has previously reported on contradictory information from Guinean sources regarding the possible existence of a landmine stockpile.[1] If Guinea were to have a stockpile of antipersonnel mines, the mines should have been destroyed by 1 April 2003, except those retained for training purposes.

Thus, Guinea has not met its obligation to submit an initial Article 7 transparency report, and annual updates, and has not informed the United Nations or other States Parties if it has met its obligation to destroy all stockpiled antipersonnel mines within four years of entry into force.

Although Guinea is believed not to be mine-affected, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) stated in January 2003 that landmines were an obstacle for the return of internally displaced persons to some border areas.[2] There is some known contamination from unexploded ordnance.[3] No casualties have been recorded.[4]


[1] Landmine Monitor Report 2002, pp. 284-285.
[2] “Guinea: NRC Update on Displaced Guineans,” IRIN, 17 January 2003.
[3] Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 284. Certain border areas and the towns of Guéckédou, Pamelap, and the Simbaya areas in the capital Conakry are UXO-affected.
[4] Interview with member of Medecins sans Frontières, N'zérékoré, 25 April 2003.