Jamaica

Cluster Munition Ban Policy

Last updated: 05 July 2017

Summary: Signatory Jamaica is in the process of ratifying the convention and voted in favor of a key UN resolution promoting universalization of the convention in December 2016. Jamaica has attended two of the convention’s Meetings of States Parties. It is not known to have ever used, produced, or transferred cluster munitions. Jamaica said in 2012 that it does not possess any stocks.

Policy

Jamaica signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 12 June 2009, becoming the first Caribbean country to join.

Jamaica has committed to ratify the convention, but the exact status of the process is unknown. Previously, in 2015, Jamaica said it was working to ratify “at the earliest opportunity.”[1]

Jamaica participated in the Oslo Process and advocated strongly for the most comprehensive convention text possible during the formal negotiations in Dublin in May 2008.[2]

Jamaica attended Meetings of States Parties of the convention in 2012 and 2014, but none since then.[3] It has participated in regional workshops on cluster munitions, most recently in Santiago, Chile, in December 2013.

In December 2016, Jamaica voted in favor of a key UN General Assembly resolution on the Convention on Cluster Munitions that urges states outside the convention to “join as soon as possible.”[4] Jamaica has voted in favor of UNGA resolutions expressing outrage at the use of cluster munitions in Syria.[5]

Jamaica is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is also party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

In September 2012, a government representative stated that “Jamaica does not possess cluster munitions.”[6] Jamaica is not known to have ever used, produced, or transferred cluster munitions.



[1] In October 2015, Jamaica stated that was working to ratify “at the earliest opportunity,” while the high commissioner in Ottawa told Canadian campaigners in July 2015 that Jamaica hopes to ratify “at the earliest opportunity.” Statement of Jamaica, UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security, New York, 26 October 2015; letter to Paul Hannon, Mines Action Canada, from Janice Miller, High Commissioner for Jamaica to Canada, Ottawa, 8 July 2015.

[2] For details on Jamaica’s cluster munition policy and practice up to early 2010, see ICBL, Cluster Munition Monitor 2010 (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, October 2010), pp. 156–157.

[3] Statement of Jamaica, Convention on Cluster Munitions Fifth Meeting of States Parties, San Jose, 2 September 2014.

[4]Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 71/45, 5 December 2016. Jamaica voted in favor of a similar resolution in 2015. “Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions,” UNGA Resolution 70/54, 7 December 2015.

[5]Situation of human rights in the Syrian Arab Republic,” UNGA Resolution 70/234, 18 December 2015. Jamaica voted in favor of similar resolutions on 18 December 2013 and 18 December 2014.

[6] Statement of Jamaica, Convention on Cluster Munitions Third Meeting of States Parties, Oslo, 11 September 2012.


Mine Ban Policy

Last updated: 05 October 2012

Jamaica signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 17 July 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. Jamaica has never used, produced, imported, exported, or stockpiled antipersonnel mines, including for training purposes. It has not enacted new legislation specifically to implement the Mine Ban Treaty. It submitted its sixth Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report in 2007, but has not provided subsequent annual reports.

Jamaica did not attend any Mine Ban Treaty meetings in 2011 or the first half of 2012.

Jamaica is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II on landmines and Protocol V on explosive remnants of war, but has not provided national annual reports for either protocol.