Botswana has reported that it completed destruction of all its cluster munition stockpiles on 18 September 2018. This included the destruction of all its 10 CB-250-K cluster bombs, 2’400 PM-1 submunitions, 500 M-971 mortar bombs, and 12’000 M-87 submunitions leaving a balance of zero cluster munitions in its possession.

President of the Ninth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (9MSP), Ambassador Aliyar Lebbe Abdul Azeez of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, wholeheartedly congratulates Botswana for having fulfilled its obligations under Article 3 of the CCM more than a year in advance of its 1 December 2019 deadline. The President acknowledges that this major achievement came about through the successful establishment of a Country Coalition between Botswana and Norwegian People’s Aid, and urges all States Parties with obligations and requiring assistance to emulate this best practice and pursue country coalition partnerships, as appropriate, for the fulfilment of the Convention obligations.

The completion of Botswana’s destruction of its cluster munition stockpiles leaves the Convention with only 6 States Parties having current obligations under Article 3.