WMA Resolution on Supporting the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction

Adopted by the 50^th World Medical Assembly, Ottawa, Canada, October 1998,
revised by the 59^th WMA General Assembly, Seoul, Korea, October 2008,
reaffirmed by the 209^th WMA Council Session, Riga, April 2018, and
reaffirmed with minor revisions by the 224^th WMA Council, Kigali, Rwanda, October 2023

PREAMBLE

Anti-personnel mines are designed to injure or kill indiscriminately any person coming into contact with them or within their proximity. They have a long-term devastating impact with civilian deaths and injuries, even after the war is over. The harmful effects on health care services and other essential services to the populations, such as electricity or water, can also be critical.

The WMA is firmly opposed to the use of anti-personnel landmines and expresses its support to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, usually referred to as the Ottawa Convention or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The World Medical Association:

1. urges its constituent members to press their governments to sign and ratify the Convention, and to ensure its implementation in all its provisions;
2. urges its constituent members to press their governments to cease manufacture, sale, deployment and use of landmines.