22 October 2014

Guinea Ratifies Global Cluster Bomb Ban

The Republic of Guinea has become the 87th State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, having deposited its instrument of ratification on 21 October 2014.

Guinea signs the Convention on Cluster Munitions, at the signing ceremony in 2008.

Guinea participated in the Oslo Process that created the convention, including the Dublin negotiations in May 2008, and was one of 94 signatory states to the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 3 December 2008. The convention will enter into force on 1 April 2015 for Guinea, in accordance with the waiting period mandated by the Convention.

"The Cluster Munition Coalition would like to congratulate Guinea on its ratification of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Each new state that joins contributes to the elimination of these horrific and indiscriminate weapons which have recently killed civilians in Ukraine and Syria," said Sarah Blakemore, Cluster Munition Coalition Director.

Guinea is one of 42 African states to have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Twelve African States, have yet to join the 114 states already on-board this lifesaving convention.

According to Cluster Munition Monitor, Guinea is not known to have used, produced, or exported cluster munitions, but it is thought to have a stockpile. Moldova reported the transfer to Guinea in 2000 of 860 9M27K rockets, each containing 30 submunitions, for Guinea’s 220mm Uragan multiple launch rocket system. The size and content of Guinea’s stockpile of cluster munitions is not known. As a State Party to the Convention, Guinea will be obligated to report the quantity and types of stockpiled cluster munitions, and must destroy all its stockpiles as soon as possible, and no later than eight years from entry into force.