ENB:04:65 [Next] . [Previous] . [Contents]

---

SIGNATURE AND RATIFICATION UPDATE

On Monday, 9 January 1995, the Executive Secretary of the Interim Secretariat, Arba Diallo, reported that 85 countries and the European Union had signed the Convention in Paris on 14-15 October 1994. Ten more countries signed the Convention over the past three months. These countries are: Namibia (24/10/94), Nigeria (31/10/94), Sierra Leone (11/11/94), Nicaragua (21/11/94), Uganda (21/11/94) Paraguay (1/12/94), Uzbekistan (7/12/94), Philippines (8/12/94), Micronesia (12/12/94) and South Africa (9/1/95).

Diallo appealed to those who have not yet been able to sign the Convention to do so as soon as circumstances permit. Kjell‚n joined in this appeal and expressed hope that the Convention would have 100 signatories by the conclusion of this session. Although this goal was not attained by the conclusion of INCD-6, Malawi became the 97th country to sign the Convention on Tuesday, 17 January 1995, and Ecuador was expected to sign the Convention on Thursday, 19 January 1995. For a complete list of signatories to the Convention, see page 11.

As of Wednesday, 18 January 1995, no country had submitted its instrument of ratification to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the depositary for the Convention. However, according to an informal survey of delegations during INCD-6, it appears as though the first instrument of ratification could be deposited as early as February 1995.