Support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons continues to grow, with Mozambique becoming the 83rd nation to sign the landmark agreement on 18 August. Its signature follows ratifications earlier this month by Ireland, Nigeria, Niue, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. Mozambique will now initiate its domestic process to ratify the treaty and become a state party.
Mozambique participated in the negotiation of the nuclear weapon ban treaty in 2017 and was among 122 nations that voted to adopt the final text. The treaty categorically outlaws nuclear weapons and establishes a legal framework for the elimination of existing stockpiles. It also mandates assistance to victims of the use and testing of nuclear weapons.
Last month, the African Commission on Nuclear Energy issued a statement calling upon all African states to support the entry into force of the nuclear weapon ban treaty. It said that the treaty “advances international law in nuclear disarmament and is consistent with the goals of the Treaty of Pelindaba” – a regional pact establishing Africa as a nuclear-weapon-free zone.
18 August 2020