Bahamas
Cluster Munition Ban Policy
Summary: Non-signatory the Bahamas has never made a statement on its policy on joining the convention or attended a meeting on cluster munitions. It is not known to have used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
Policy
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
The Bahamas did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the convention in 2008 and it has never attended a meeting on cluster munitions.
The Bahamas has never made a statement articulating its views on banning cluster munitions, but in an August 2015 letter its representative to Canada thanked CMC member Mines Action Canada for inviting the Bahamas to accede to the convention.[1]
The Bahamas voted in favor of the first UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 7 December 2015, which urges states outside the convention on “join as soon as possible.”[2] The Bahamas has also voted in favor of UNGA resolutions that condemn the use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently Resolution 70/234 on 23 December 2015, which “deplores and condemns” the continued use.[3]
The Bahamas is party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It has not joined the Convention on Conventional Weapons.
Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling
The Bahamas is not known to have used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.
[1] Letter to Paul Hannon, Executive Director, Mines Action Canada from Roselyn Horton, High Commission for the Bahamas, Ottawa, 25 August 2015.
[2] “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 70/54, 7 December 2015.
[3] “Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 70/234, 23 December 2015. The Bahamas voted in favor of similar resolutions on 15 May and 18 December 2013, and 18 December 2014.
Mine Ban Policy
The Commonwealth of the Bahamas signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 31 July 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. The Bahamas has never used, produced, imported, exported, or stockpiled antipersonnel mines, including for training purposes. The Bahamas has not enacted new legislation specifically to implement the Mine Ban Treaty. The Bahamas last submitted a Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report in 2009.
The Bahamas did not attend any Mine Ban Treaty meetings in 2011 or the first half of 2012.
The Bahamas is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.