Team:Edinburgh/mapxmlburkina

From 2009.igem.org

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<contacts> <dist> <distName>Burkina Faso</distName> <textBox><![CDATA[Burkina Faso signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997. On 16 September 1998, the country became the 40th to ratify the treaty, triggering its entry into force on 1 March 1999, in accordance with Article 17 of the treaty. Burkina Faso became a State Party on 1 March 1999. Domestic law implementing the treaty has been in place since 2001, including penal sanctions and fines for violations. Burkina Faso submitted its fifth Article 7 Report on 21 June 2004, for calendar year 2003; it is essentially a “nil” report.

One of the earliest proponents of the antipersonnel mine ban, Burkina Faso first called for a comprehensive ban on the weapon in October 1995. It participated actively in the Ottawa Process and has since attended every annual meeting of States Parties, except for 2001, and most of the intersessional Standing Committee meetings, including those held in February and June 2004. Burkina Faso has voted in favor of each annual pro-mine ban United Nations General Assembly resolution since 1996.

Burkina Faso has not engaged in the extensive discussions that States Parties have had on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2, and 3. Thus, it has not made known its views on the issues of joint military operations with non-States Parties, foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices, and the permissible number of mines retained for training.

Burkina Faso has not used, produced or exported landmines, and it has no stockpiles. The country is not mine-affected. Army engineers are skilled in demining and six soldiers attended a demining training held in 2003 at the regional mine clearance training center for ECOWAS member states in Ouidah, Benin ]]></textBox> <email><![CDATA[]]></email> </dist>

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