UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on the international community to put on more efforts to "render anti-personnel mines a relic of the past".

According to a statement attributable to Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for Guterres, the UN chief welcomed the 20th anniversary on March 1 of the entry into force of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, adding that it "has saved countless lives, stopped mutilation and injury and enabled the revitalization of livelihoods".

The secretary-general commended the commitment of the country parties to rid the world of a weapon that "kills and maims indiscriminately, while seriously impeding peace and development".

Guterres also congratulated the 31 countries which have declared to be mine-free and urged all countries that have not done so to accede as soon as possible to the convention. He also appealed to countries to ensure access to sustainable assistance and services for the thousands of mine victims.

The convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction seeks to end the use of anti-personnel landmines worldwide. It was opened for signature on Dec. 3, 1997, and entered into force on March 1, 1999. According to its official website, currently 164 states have formally agreed to be bound by the convention.