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.