LM Report 2004

Andorra

Key developments since 1999: Andorra became a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty on 1 March 1999. It has submitted only one Article 7 transparency report. Andorra declares that it has never possessed antipersonnel mines and is not mine-affected.

Mine Ban Policy

Andorra signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 29 June 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. Andorra has long supported the comprehensive banning of antipersonnel mines, but did not participate in the Ottawa Process which led to the Mine Ban Treaty. Andorra has voted in favor of every annual pro-ban UN General Assembly resolution since 1996.

No new legislation to implement the treaty has been introduced, but Andorra has regulations governing the use and traffic in arms.^[1] Andorra submitted its initial Article 7 transparency report, which was due on 28 August 1999, on 12 July 2000. It declares that Andorra has never produced or possessed antipersonnel mines, and is not mine-affected.^[2] Andorra has not submitted any of the required annual updated Article 7 reports.

Andorra has not attended any of the annual Meetings of States Parties or any intersessional Standing Committee meetings. In January 2000, Andorra’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva explained that although Andorra is supportive of the Mine Ban Treaty it lacks the administrative resources necessary to service all its international commitments.^[3]

In March 2004, Andorra co-chaired a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on antipersonnel mines and explosive remnants of war.

No financial contributions to mine action by Andorra in 2003 or 2002 were recorded by the UN Mine Action Service. Andorra donated US$11,750 in 2001, $11,100 in 2000,^[4] $10,500 in 1999 and $10,000 in 1998.^[5]

Andorra is not a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

[1] Décret relatif à la détention, utilisation et circulation d’armes en date du 3 juillet 1989. Article 7 Report, Introduction and Form A, 12 July 2000, contains the relevant text from the 3 July 1989 Decree, including penal sanctions applicable.
[2] Article 7 Report, 12 July 2000 (for the period 1 January 1996-31 December 1999).
[3] Telephone interview and correspondence with Juli Minoves, Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, 14 January 2000.
[4] Letter from Jaime Gaytán Sansa, Ambassador of Andorra to Spain, 13 February 2002.
[5] UN Mine Action Service Mine Action Investments database, accessed on 21 July 2004; telephone interview and correspondence with Juli Minoves, Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, 14 January 2000.