The treaty prohibits nations from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, transferring, possessing, stockpiling, using or threatening to use nuclear weapons. It also prohibits them from assisting, encouraging or inducing anyone to engage in any of those activities. In addition, nations must not allow nuclear weapons to be stationed or deployed on their territory.

Yes. The treaty is legally binding on those nations that join it.

Fifty nations must sign and ratify the treaty before it can enter into legal force. Signing is a relatively simple act performed by the executive branch of a government. Ratifying typically involves a legislative process. Once the treaty has entered force, further nations can join it at any stage.

Yes. A nation that possesses nuclear weapons can join the treaty, so long as it agrees to remove them from operational status immediately and destroy them in accordance with a legally binding, time-bound plan. It is also required to eliminate its entire nuclear weapon programme, which includes nuclear materials, delivery systems and related facilities.

Yes. A nation that hosts another nation’s nuclear weapons on its territory can join the treaty, so long as it agrees to remove them by a specified deadline.

Yes. Nothing in the treaty prevents a nation from being in a military alliance with a nuclear-armed nation, so long as its participation in that alliance in no way involves giving support to nuclear weapons.

Yes. Nations must provide adequate assistance to all victims of the use and testing of nuclear weapons, including medical care, rehabilitation and psychological support. They must also provide for their social and economic inclusion.

The preamble acknowledges the harm suffered as a result of the use and testing of nuclear weapons, including the disproportionate impact of nuclear weapon activities on indigenous peoples. It also recognizes the disproportionate impacts on women and girls.

Yes. Nations must take measures towards the remediation of environments contaminated as a result of activities related to the use and testing of nuclear weapons. The preamble recognizes the grave implications that nuclear weapons pose for the environment.

Yes. Once the treaty has entered into force, nations will meet regularly to discuss implementation and take any necessary decisions.

Yes. Any nation under the treaty may propose an amendment. This would then be put to a vote. To be adopted, two-thirds of the nations that have joined the treaty would need to vote in favour of it.

If a dispute arises between two or more nations under the treaty, they must consult together with a view to settling the dispute by negotiation or by other peaceful means.

No. The treaty does not allow a nation to make “reservations”. This means that a nation cannot join the treaty and assert that certain provisions of it do not apply to it.

No. However, nations could decide at a later stage to establish a secretariat to facilitate implementation of the treaty and promote its norms.

Yes. Any nation can join the treaty, whether or not it is a member of the United Nations.

Yes. The treaty is permanent in nature.

Yes. In exercising its sovereignty, a nation can withdraw from the treaty. It must provide 12 months’ notice. However, it cannot withdraw if it is involved in an armed conflict.

The treaty was negotiated at the United Nations in New York from 27 to 31 March and 15 June to 7 July 2017.

The treaty was adopted on 7 July 2017.

Yes. The treaty is available in all six official UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Each version is an authentic legal text.

One hundred and twenty-two (122) nations – almost two-thirds of the total UN membership – voted in favour of adoption of the treaty on 7 July 2017. Only the Netherlands voted against and only Singapore abstained from voting. Other nations did not participate. The supportive nations were:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, DRC (Congo), Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.