Summary: State Party Benin ratified the convention in July 2017 and the convention took effect for the country on 1 January 2018. Benin has participated in meetings of the convention, most recently in September 2017. It voted in favor of a key United Nations (UN) resolution on the convention in December 2018. Benin states that it never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions.

Policy

The Republic of Benin signed the convention on 3 December 2008, ratified on 10 July 2017, and the convention entered into force for Benin on 1 January 2018.

The status of Benin’s national implementation measures is not yet known. [1]

As of 20 June 2019, Benin has not provided its initial Article 7 transparency report for the convention, which was due by 30 June 2018. [2]

Benin participated in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions and was a strong advocate for a comprehensive ban. [3]

Benin has attended several Meetings of States Parties, most recently in September 2017. [4] It also participated in the convention’s First Review Conference in 2015, intersessional meetings in 2011–2014, and several regional workshops on the convention.

Benin voted in favor of a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution supporting implementation and universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in December 2018. [5] It has voted in favor of the annual UNGA resolution promoting the convention since it was first introduced in 2015.

Benin has voted in favor of UNGA resolutions expressing outrage at the use of cluster munitions in Syria, most recently in December 2018. [6]

Benin has not expressed its views on certain important issues relating to its interpretation and implementation of the convention, such as the prohibition on transit, the prohibition on assistance during joint military operations with states not party that may use cluster munitions, the prohibition on foreign stockpiling of cluster munitions, the prohibition on investment in production of cluster munitions, and the need for retention of cluster munitions for training and development purposes.

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

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Benin has stated several times that it has never used, produced, or stockpiled cluster munitions, is not a transit country, and has no intention to acquire cluster munitions. [7] Benin must submit a transparency report for the convention to formally confirm its cluster munition-free status.

Policy

The Republic of Benin signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 25 September 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. Legislation to enforce the antipersonnel mine prohibition domestically has not yet been enacted.

Benin last attended a meeting of the treaty in 2016 when it attended the Fifteenth Meeting of States Parties in Santiago in November–December 2016. Benin also attended the Third Review Conference in Maputo in June 2014. Benin submitted its seventh Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report on 24 June 2008, but has not submitted subsequent annual reports.

On 5 December 2018, Benin voted in favor the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 73/61 promoting universalization and implementation of the convention.[1]

In 2002, Benin opened a regional demining training center for Economic Community of Western African States members.

Benin is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons, but not its Amended Protocol II on landmines or Protocol V on explosive remnants of war. Benin is party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Production, import, transfer, and stockpiling

Benin has never used, produced, imported, or stockpiled antipersonnel mines, including for training purposes.

Since 2011, the West African Humanitarian Mine Action Training Center (Centre de perfectionnement aux actions post-conflictuelles de déminage et de dépollution,CPADD) based in Ouidah in the Republic of Benin, has received almost US$3 million in international support.

France has been a major donor to the CPADD since it opened in 2003. In 2014, France contributed €70,785 ($94,123) to support training. In addition to financial support, France provided demining experts and logistical support to the CPADD (valued at €475,000/$631,608).[1] In 2013, France and Japan contributed a combined total of approximately $1.3 million.[2] France also provides trainers to the center.

Summary of international contributions: 2011–2014[3]