LM Report 2002

BENIN

Key developments since May 2001: In March 2002, Benin established an interministerial commission to draft Mine Ban Treaty implementing legislation. France provided financial support for the establishment of a regional mine clearance training center in Benin.

MINE BAN POLICY

Benin signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified it on 25 September 1998, and became a State Party on 1 March 1999. Although the Article 7 transparency report submitted on 18 October 2000 mentioned that a commission was established in 2000 to consider national implementation measures,^[1] the draft decree effectively establishing this interministerial commission was only adopted in March 2002. The commission will reportedly present draft legislation to implement the ban treaty to the National Assembly before the end of 2002.^[2]

Benin participated in the Third Meeting of States Parties in Managua, Nicaragua, in September 2001.^[3] Benin also participated in the intersessionnal Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in January 2002 and in May 2002.^[4] The government also attended the regional “Conference on Arms and International Humanitarian Law: the CCW and the Ottawa Convention” in Abuja, Nigeria, organized by ICRC in collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 10 and 11 October 2001. On 29 November 2001, Benin cosponsored and voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 56/24M, which calls for universalization and full implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Benin submitted its third Article 7 Report covering calendar year 2001 on 21 January 2002; it was a “nil” report. Benin has never produced, transferred, nor used antipersonnel mines. Benin does not have any stocks of antipersonnel mines, not even for training purposes.

Benin is a State Party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW), but has not adhered to the 1980 or 1996 Amended Protocol II. It did not attend the third annual meeting of States Parties of the Amended Protocol, or the Second CCW Review Conference, both of which were held in Geneva in December 2001.

MINE ACTION

Benin does not have a mine problem on its territory.^[5] However, in 2000, about thirty bomb disposal experts were trained with the help of France and Belgium.^[6] From 19 October-11 December 2001, military engineers were trained in Benin by the French National Center for Humanitarian Demining.^[7] France provided further support for the establishment of a regional mine clearance training center in Ouidah for ECOWAS member states in August 2001, with a donation of €259,164 (US$232,729).^[8]

[1] Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 56.
[2] Interview with Pamphile Goutondji, Deputy Director, International Organizations Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Geneva, 28 May 2002.
[3] Benin was represented by Pamphile Goutondji, Deputy Director, International Organizations
Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
[4] In January 2002 Benin was represented by Pamphile Goutondji, Col. Maurice Mathias Adjou-
Moumouni, Judicial Technical Counselor, Ministry of Defense, and Capt. Remy Soka, Head of Investigation and Engineers Office and in May 2002 by Pamphile Goutondji.
[5] Article 7 Report, 21 January 2002; interview with Pamphile Goutondji, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Geneva, 31 January 2002.
[6] Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 57.
[7] Answer to Landmine Monitor questionnaire by Samuel De Beauvais, Ambassador, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, 27 March 2002.
[8] Interview with Pamphile Goutondji, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Cotonou, 14 February 2002. For more information about the regional center, see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, p. 57.

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