LM Report 2004

Burkina Faso

Key developments since May 2003: In January 2004, Burkina Faso organized a regional Mine Ban Treaty meeting as part of a series of events leading up to the 2004 Nairobi Summit. On 26 November 2003, Burkina Faso acceded to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II on landmines.

Key developments since 1999: Burkina Faso was the fortieth country to ratify the Mine Ban Treaty, triggering its entry into force on 1 March 1999. The country adopted national implementation legislation in 2001, including penal sanctions. In January 2004, Burkina Faso organized a regional Mine Ban Treaty meeting as part of a series of events leading up to the 2004 Nairobi Summit.

Burkina Faso signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997. On 16 September 1998, the country became the 40th to ratify the treaty, triggering its entry into force on 1 March 1999, in accordance with Article 17 of the treaty. Burkina Faso became a State Party on 1 March 1999. Domestic law implementing the treaty has been in place since 2001, including penal sanctions and fines for violations.^[1] Burkina Faso submitted its fifth Article 7 Report on 21 June 2004, for calendar year 2003; it is essentially a “nil” report.^[2]

One of the earliest proponents of the antipersonnel mine ban, Burkina Faso first called for a comprehensive ban on the weapon in October 1995. It participated actively in the Ottawa Process and has since attended every annual meeting of States Parties, except for 2001, and most of the intersessional Standing Committee meetings, including those held in February and June 2004.^[3] Burkina Faso has voted in favor of each annual pro-mine ban United Nations General Assembly resolution since 1996.

On 28-29 January 2004, Burkina Faso held a workshop in Ouagadougou on “Implementation of the Ottawa Treaty in West Africa,” with the support of Canada and the ICRC. Sixteen countries attended the workshop, which was held to prepare for the 2004 Nairobi Summit (the first Review Conference for the Mine Ban Treaty). Burkina Faso has attended other regional landmine meetings held in Mali (February 2001) and Nigeria (October 2001).

Burkina Faso has not engaged in the extensive discussions that States Parties have had on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2, and 3. Thus, it has not made known its views on the issues of joint military operations with non-States Parties, foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices, and the permissible number of mines retained for training.

On 26 November 2003, Burkina Faso acceded to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II on landmines.

Burkina Faso has not used, produced or exported landmines, and it has no stockpiles. The country is not mine-affected.^[4] Army engineers are skilled in demining and six soldiers attended a demining training held in 2003 at the regional mine clearance training center for ECOWAS member states in Ouidah, Benin.^[5]

[1] Decree N°2001-180/PRES/PM/SECU on the ban of antipersonnel mines in Burkina Faso, 2 May 2001. Published by the Official Journal in June 2001. Violations of the decree are sanctioned with a one- to five-year term of imprisonment and/or a fine of CFAF 300,000 to 1,500,000 (US$410 to $2,050).
[2] See Article 7 reports submitted on: 4 December 2000 (for the year 2000), 6 August 2001 (for calendar year 2000), 14 March 2002 (for calendar year 2001), and 21 April 2003 (for calendar year 2002).
[3] Burkina Faso intended to be present for the Third Meeting of States Parties in Managua, Nicaragua, in September 2001, but flight disruptions following the 11 September terror attacks in the US made travel impossible.
[4] See Article 7 reports. See also, interview with Capt. Blaise Kiema, Ministry of Defense, and Piabié Firmin N'Do, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geneva, 29 January 2002.
[5] “Benin Mine Clearance Training Center,” document provided to Landmine Monitor by Thomas Adoumasse, Deputy Director, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Benin, February 2004.