Contaminated by: landmines (medium contamination) and unexploded ordnance, including cluster munition remnants, all in the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.

Article 5 deadline: 1 January 2020
(Not on track to meet deadline)

Contamination

The Republic of Argentina reports that it is mine-affected by virtue of its claim to sovereignty over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands.[1] Upon ratifying the Mine Ban Treaty, Argentina submitted a declaration reaffirming “its rights of sovereignty over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich and the surrounding maritime areas which form an integral part of the territory.”[2] It reiterated this declaration at the Fifteenth Meeting of States Parties.[3] The islands were mined, mostly by Argentinian forces, during its armed conflict with the United Kingdom (UK) in 1982. Argentina has reported that no other territory under its jurisdiction or control is mine-affected.[4]

Program Management

Argentina has a Humanitarian Demining Office under the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces and a Humanitarian Demining Training Centre (Centro de Entrenamiento de Desminado Humanitario).

Land Release

Argentina has argued that it is unable to meet its Article 5 obligations because it has not had access to the Malvinas/Falklands due to the “illegal occupation” by the UK. It did, however, make an offer more than a decade ago to support demining of the islands. In May 2016, Argentina reiterated its claim of sovereignty over the islands and declared that if the UK entered into negotiations over sovereignty that an agreement on demining could be reached between the two countries.[5]

Article 5 Compliance

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, and in accordance with the 10-year extension granted in 2009 by the Second Review Conference, Argentina is required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 January 2020.

At the Second Review Conference, Argentina said it was unable to meet its Article 5 obligations because it did not have access to the Malvinas/Falklands due to the “illegal occupation” by the UK. Argentina said that for this reason it had no other choice than to request an extension to its clearance deadline.[6]