In a recent statement, the United States pledged to phase out anti-personnel landmines by allowing its current stockpile to dwindle and take steps to comply with the treaty banning the use of these weapons that kill around 20,000 people per year.
US officials made the announcement at the Third Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention in Maputo, Mozambique on June 27, 2014. The ambassador stated that the US is working hard to find solutions or alternatives to antipersonnel mines that would be compliant with the Mine Ban Treaty and would eventually allow the US to accede to it.
According to the announcement, the US will discontinue producing or otherwise acquiring antipersonnel mines, and will not extend the shelf life of stockpiled mines as they expire in coming years.
