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On the first day of the second meeting of states parties to the TPNW, Parliamentarians for the TPNW, a network of legislators in support of the treaty held a conference at the United Nations in New York. The 23 participants from 14 countries emphasised their resolute support for the TPNW and their willingness to make the treaty a political priority in their respective parliaments.
Parliamentarians from around the world are showing their support for nuclear disarmament and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). 23 elected officials from 14 countries followed ICANs invitation to the second meeting of states parties to exchange views, stategise and consider concrete steps for nuclear disarmament.
In their statements, the attending parliamentarians highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and called for their elimination. They also urged their governments to observe the meetings of states parties to the TPNW as a preliminary step towards joining the treaty.
In the spirit of cross-national and cross-party collaboration, the conference continued the dialogue on the abolition of nuclear weapons and provided parliamentarians with the necessary information and network for advancing the TPNW in their respective countries and political contexts.
The parliamentarian declaration was presented to the meeting of states parties by Guillaume Defossé, Member of the Federal Parliament of Belgium. All participants co-sign the declaration, commending the leadership of TPNW state parties. They pledge to expand treaty membership, and denounce nuclear threats while urging governments to sign and ratify the treaty urgently. The group deplores the continued existence of over 12,000 nuclear weapons, criticises the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, and calls for redirecting resources towards a just and peaceful future. Additionally, the participants highlighted the importance of integrating nuclear disarmament into all policy areas and emphasised renewed parliamentary efforts for a nuclear-free world.
Photo: ICAN | Darren Ornitz
Participants:
Steven De Vuyst, Belgium
Marilou McPhedran, Canada
Heather McPherson, Canada
Don Davies, Canada
Elizabeth May, Canada
Guy Benarroche, France
Hinamouerra Cross, Polynesia
Dietmar Köster, Germany
Laura Boldrini, Italy
Bill Kidd, Scotland
James McGovern, US
Lindsay Sabadosa, US
Ayaka Shiomura, Japan
Akira Kasai, Japan
Mari Kushibuchi, Japan
Masaaki Tania, Japan
Guillaume Defossé, Belgium
Oezlem Demirel, Germany
Sven Clement, Luxembourg
Andrés Ingi Jonsson, Iceland
Ingrid Fiskaa, Norway
Susan Templeman, Australia
Bimala Subedi, Nepal