Finland Approves Exit from Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines

The Finnish government has given its approval for the country to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, the international treaty aimed at banning anti-personnel mines.

The proposal will now be submitted to Parliament for approval, followed by endorsement from the President of the Republic. Subsequently, Helsinki will deliver a formal notice of withdrawal to the United Nations Secretary-General.

The Ottawa Convention prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines, and mandates their destruction.

Earlier, Finland’s government, guided by reports from its Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, concluded that withdrawing from the treaty aligns with the nation's security interests and the imperative to safeguard its national security.