Ottawa Convention
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction was opened for signature in Ottawa in December 1997. This important instrument of international humanitarian law entered into force on 1 March 1999.
The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ottawa Convention) was opened for signature in Ottawa in December 1997. This important instrument of international humanitarian law entered into force on 1 March 1999. The Czech Republic ratified the Convention on 26 October 1999. The Ottawa Convention is considered to be the most successful treaty in the field of conventional disarmament due to the significant decrease in the number of mine casualties, the minimisation of mine production and trade and the continued destruction of mine stockpiles.
Czechia destroyed its stockpile of anti-personnel landmines three years before the Ottawa Convention required it to do so. The Czech Republic has actively contributed to humanitarian demining through international organisations and bilateral cooperation in Afghanistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Angola, Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Lebanon and Ukraine. Czechia is currently involved in demining in Bosnia and Herzegovina.