Afghanistan

In its transparency report submitted on 30 April 2005, Afghanistan reported stockpiled anti-personnel mines under its ownership or possession or under its jurisdiction or control.

Notwithstanding the general obligations under Article 1, the retention or transfer of a number of anti- personnel mines for the development of and training in mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques is permitted.

The amount of such mines shall not exceed the minimum number absolutely necessary for the above-mentioned purposes. Afghanistan opted not to retain anti-personnel mines for these permitted purposes.

In its annual transparency report submitted on 30 April 2007, Afghanistan reported that in 2006 it had completed the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines. In total, Afghanistan reported having destroyed 486,226 anti-personnel mines.

In its initial transparency report submitted on 1 September 2003, Afghanistan reported areas under its jurisdiction or control in which anti-personnel mines were known or suspected to be emplaced.

In accordance with Article 5 of the Convention, Afghanistan undertook to destroy or ensure the destruction of all anti-personnel mines in these areas as soon as possible but not later than 1 March 2013.

On 29 March 2012, Afghanistan submitted a request to extend this deadline. The request was granted at the Twelfth Meeting of the States Parties and a new deadline set for 1 March 2023. 

On 4 July 2022, the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan submitted a request to further extend its deadline. The request was granted at the Twentieth Meeting of the States Parties in November 2022 and a new deadline set for 1 March 2025.

Article 5 Extension Request Process 

Afghanistan has indicated having significant numbers – hundreds or thousands – of landmine survivors. Afghanistan is also a State Party to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Annually and no later than 30 April, each State Party is to update information covering the previous calendar year. The latest Article 7 reports for this State Party can be found on this page. 

Article 9 of the Convention states that “each State Party shall take all appropriate legal, administrative and other measures, including the imposition of penal sanctions, to prevent and suppress any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Convention undertaken by persons or on territory under its jurisdiction or control.”

Afghanistan has reported having established national implementation measures or that it considers existing legislation to be sufficient.