Bahrain

Mine Ban Policy

Last updated: 15 November 2021

Policy

The Kingdom of Bahrain has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty.

Bahrain last expressed serious interest in accession to the Mine Ban Treaty in 2007, but has not demonstrated similar enthusiasm since then.[1] However, Bahrain voted in favor of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 75/52, on 7 December 2020, promoting the implementation of the convention.[2]

In January 2011, Bahrain’s undersecretary of International Affairs said that “Bahrain participated in all meetings of the convention but did not accede for security reasons, and the agreement at the Gulf Cooperation Council to join collectively.”[3]

Previously, in a letter to the Monitor, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “Bahrain endorses the treaty’s aims and principles and continues to study closely the possibility of accession. Such accession would involve complex legal, domestic and international issues, and a number of relevant authorities in Bahrain are continuing to carry out close study of such issues.”[4]

Officials have cited the need to coordinate with other Gulf Cooperation Council member states regarding accession.[5] In November 2010, Prince Mired of Jordan, acting in his capacity as the Special Envoy on Universalization, met with Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander Shaikh Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa, who stated that he was open to Bahrain becoming a State Party.

Bahrain last attended a Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, as an observer, in Geneva in November–December 2010.

Bahrain is not party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Bahrain joined Protocol III, Protocol IV, and Protocol V of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) on 11 March 2016.

Production, transfer, stockpiling, and use

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have said that Bahrain has never produced, exported, or used antipersonnel mines, and is not contaminated by mines.[6] Ministry of Defense officials have said that Bahrain keeps a “limited” stock of antipersonnel mines for training purposes only.[7]



[1] See, ICBL, Landmine Monitor Report 2008: Toward a Mine-Free World (Ottawa: Mines Action Canada, October 2008), p. 814. In November 2007, during an ICBL mission, members of the Bahraini House of Representatives, including the vice-speaker, expressed support for accession to the treaty, and a Ministry of Foreign Affairs representative spoke of accelerating the accession process. In May 2007, in response to an ICBL letter, Bahrain wrote, “His Highness the Prime Minister and his Government are tackling this issue with sincere concern and full commitment.” During a March 2007 ICBL mission, several Bahraini officials and legislators expressed support for accession to the treaty.

[3] Oral response by Amb. Karim Ebrahim Al-Shakar, Undersecretary of International Affairs, Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to the request by attendees of the Monitor report release event for Bahrain to join the Mine Ban Treaty and draft an accession law, Manama, 2 January 2011.

[4] Letter from Amb. Fouad Darwish, Director of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 24 November 2008.

[5] Various officials expressed this to ICBL members during advocacy visits in 2008 and 2009, as well as to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) during a mission to Bahrain in November 2008.

[6] Notes from ICBL meeting with Mohamed Ghassan Shaiko, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Manama, 12 April 2005.

[7] Amb. Satnam Jit Singh, “Mission Report – Bahrain, 26–30 September 2004,” 30 September 2004.