Bosnia and Herzegovina: One Step Forward in Implementation of Obligations from the Convention on Ban of Cluster Munitions

22 November 2011

Today the destruction of cluster air bombs type BL 755 has been finalized.

With the financial assistance of the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, successfully finalized the destruction of cluster air bombs. The air bombs were stored in Bosnia and Herzegovina and represented everyday danger for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. With this activity the Ministry of Defense made additional step forward in implementation of its obligations stemming from the Convention on Ban of Cluster Munitions.

Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified the Convention on Ban of Cluster Munitions on 07 September 2010, a month after the Convention entered into force. With the support of UNDP, Bosnia and Herzegovina initiated disposal of cluster munitions right after the ratification. Apart from cluster bombs, around 90,000 pieces of cluster sub-munitions type KB 1 were destroyed. It is expected that additional 110 pieces of different types and models of cluster munitions will be disposed of by the end of the year.

"UNDP and the Ministry of Defense have a plan to implement two more activities related to the implementation of the Convention. It is planned to dispose of additional quantities of rockets with cluster warhead type Orkan and cluster mortar shells 120mm. Both activities are planned to be finalized this year." state Agnesa Šećerkadić, Head of UNDP's Communication Unit.

Fulfilling its obligations form the Convention, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be one of the lead countries in the region in implementation of the Convention on Ban of Cluster Munitions.

This article is courtesy of UNDP BiH.