Summary: Non-signatory Bhutan has expressed support for the convention’s objectives but not taken any steps to join. Bhutan for the first time participated in a meeting of States Parties in September 2017 and voted in favor of a key UN resolution promoting the convention in December 2017. According to Bhutan, it does not possess cluster munitions. It is not known to have used, produced, or transferred these weapons.

Policy

The Kingdom of Bhutan has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Bhutan has never made a public statement detailing its position on joining the convention. Bhutan for the first time participated as an observer in a meeting of States Parties in September 2017. Bangladesh did not make any statement to the meeting, but its representative told the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) that an internal process is underway to prepare the country’s accession.[1] Previously, officials expressed support for the convention’s objectives but indicated Bhutan has limited resources available to undertake the accession process.[2]

Bhutan did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Bhutan has attended two meetings of the convention since 2015.[3]

In December 2017, Bhutan voted in favor of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that urges states outside the convention to “join as soon as possible.”[4] It voted in favor of previous annual UNGA resolutions promoting implementation and universalization of the convention in 2015 and 2016.

Bhutan is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty. It is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Bhutan is not known to have used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions. In 2010, a government representative said that, as a peaceful country, Bhutan does not possess any cluster munitions and has no plans to acquire them.[5]

Policy

The Kingdom of Bhutan acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty on 18 August 2005 and the treaty entered into force for it on 1 February 2006. Bhutan has stated that the treaty is “self-enacting” under existing domestic law.[1]

In May 2013, Bhutan informed States Parties that “By the virtue of the Constitution of Bhutan, all international treaties and conventions are deemed as national laws. Furthermore, the Bhutan Civil and Criminal procedure code also contains relevant provisions, which would adequately cover implementation of the Convention for the time being.” The representative of Bhutan added, “the Royal Government will continue to adopt additional measures for implementation of the Convention as and when deemed necessary.”[2]

Bhutan has submitted three Article 7 reports to the convention, in 2007, 2014, and 2018.

Bhutan attended the Fourteenth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in November–December 2015, where it provided an update on its stockpile destruction and mine clearance efforts.

Bhutan is not party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions or the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW).

Use, transfer, production, stockpiling, and retention

Bhutan’s initial Article 7 report acknowledges that Bhutan imported and used antipersonnel mines in the past but did not produce them.[3] At that time, Bhutan declared a stockpile of 4,491 antipersonnel mines, all of which it stated it would retain for training purposes.[4] In May 2013, Bhutan informed States Parties that it retained 490 antipersonnel mines, which was subsequently the amount reported in Bhutan’s 2014 Article 7 report.[5] Bhutan reports that, “Annually officers and troops undergo a week long training on basic mine laying and mine clearing and few of them undergo specialized training in mine clearing and removable of IEDs [improvised explosive devices].”[6]

Bhutan informed States Parties in December 2012 that subsequent to the submission of their initial Article 7 report, they had destroyed 2,370 MNM-14 and 2,183 M-16 antipersonnel mines that were “either unserviceable or expired.”[7] The number of mines it destroyed post-2007 was greater than the stockpile declared in Bhutan’s initial Article 7 report. No explanation regarding the decision to reduce its mines retained or the changes in numbers was provided.

In 2018, Bhutan reported that it retained 211 antipersonnel mines for training purposes.[8] It has not provided any details on the disposition of 279 antipersonnel mines between its current and previous Article 7 report.

Bhutan’s treaty-mandated deadline for destroying any stockpiled antipersonnel mines was 1 February 2010. Bhutan has yet to indicate whether or not it destroyed any stockpiled antipersonnel mines in the past.