INTERNATIONAL  DAY  FOR  THE  TOTAL  ELIMINATION  OF  NUCLEAR  WEAPONS:    WANEP  Calls  for  “A  Nuclear-­‐Weapon-­‐Free  World”  

Press  Release  Accra,  26th  September,  2015  

Since   the   first  nuclear  weapons   testing   took  place  on   July  16,  1945,  world  powers  have   spent  billions  on  acquiring  nuclear  weapons  as  a  measure  of  military  might  with  little  or  no  consideration  for  the  tragic  effect  of  nuclear  weapons  testing  on  human  life.  Worried  by  the  tragic  consequences  of  nuclear  testing,  and  the  conviction   that  nuclear  disarmament   and   the   total   elimination  of  nuclear  weapons   are   the  only   absolute  guarantee  against  the  use  or  threat  of  nuclear  weapons,  the  UN  General  Assembly  designated  September  26,  as  the  “International  Day  for  the  Total  Elimination  of  Nuclear  Weapons".  The  Day  which  was  observed  for   the   first   time   in   September   2014   is  meant   to   call   attention   to   the   urgent   need   for   the   international  community   to  support   the  total  banning  of  nuclear  weapons  testing  and  to  galvanize   the  United  Nations,  Member  States,  intergovernmental  and  non-­‐governmental  organizations,  and  the  media  to  inform,  educate  and  advocate  the  necessity  of  banning  nuclear  weapon  tests  as  a  valuable  step  towards  achieving  a  safer  world.1  

The  West   Africa  Network   for   Peacebuilding,  WANEP   in   commemoration   of   the   International   Day   for   the  Total   Elimination   of   Nuclear   Weapons   2015   joins   the   global   community   to   advocate   for   the   complete  elimination  of  nuclear  weapons  and  a  nuclear-­‐weapon-­‐free  world.  WANEP  notes  that  with  the  2009  Africa  Nuclear   Weapon   Free   Zone   Treaty,   also   known   as   the   Treaty   of   Pelindaba,   which   provides   for   the  prohibition  of   research,  manufacture,   acquisition,   stockpiling,   possession,   testing,   control  or   stationing  of  nuclear  explosives  makes  Africa  a  nuclear  weapon  free  zone  thus  banning  nuclear  weapons  seems  not  to  be  a  priority  for  Africa.  The  treaty  has  been  ratified  by  38  countries;  United  States  signed  but  not  ratified,  and  currently,  no  African  states  have  nuclear  weapons.  South  Africa  developed  nuclear  weapons,  but  voluntarily  dismantled  the  programme  in  the  early  1990s.2    

WANEP  is  however  concerned  that  being  a  nuclear  weapon  free  zone  does  not  make  Africa  less  vulnerable  to  intentional  or  unintentional  use  of  nuclear  weapons  especially  as  a  nuclear  detonation  does  not  respect  geographical  boundaries.  Besides,  the  African  continent  has  a  history  of  nuclear  weapons.  Research  shows  that   the   uranium   mined   in   the   Democratic   Republic   of   Congo   was   used   in   the   Manhattan   project   to  manufacture   the   first   atomic   bomb   that   was   used   in  World  War   II.     The   nuclear-­‐weapon-­‐free   zone  was  actually  proposed  as  a  response  to  the  French  nuclear  weapons  testing  in  the  Hoggar  Mountains  of  Algeria  

                                                                                                                         1  From  Wikipedia,  the  free  encyclopedia  2  Helle  Winge  Lausen:  Africa  and  nuclear  weapons:  An  introduction  to  the  issue  of  nuclear  weapons  in  Africa  2  Helle  Winge  Lausen:  Africa  and  nuclear  weapons:  An  introduction  to  the  issue  of  nuclear  weapons  in  Africa  

 

 

from   1960   to   1967   which   was   a   danger   both   for   humans   and   the   environment.3  Therefore,   an   end   to  nuclear  weapons  is  a  matter  of  global  concern  for  Africans  as  well  as  the  western  and  nuclear-­‐armed  states  to  resolve.  

WANEP  applauds  on-­‐going  national  and  international  efforts  and  commitments  to  the  total  elimination  of  nuclear  weapons   including  the  Treaty  on  the  Non-­‐Proliferation  of  Nuclear  Weapons,  commonly  known  as  the   Non-­‐Proliferation   Treaty   (NPT),   an   international   treaty   whose   objective   is   to   prevent   the   spread   of  nuclear   weapons,   promote   cooperation   in   the   peaceful   uses   of   nuclear   energy,   and   further   the   goal   of  achieving   nuclear   and   complete   disarmament.   All   the   parties   to   the   Treaty   pledged   commitment   to  achieving  peace  and  security  in  a  world  without  nuclear  weapons  while  UN  Secretary-­‐General  Ban  Ki-­‐moon  unequivocally   stated   at   the   five-­‐yearly   NPT   Review   Conferences   that:   “A  world   free   of   nuclear   weapons  would  be  a  global  public  good  of  the  highest  order,”  and  defined  a  ban  on  nuclear  weapons  as  “vital”.4  All  African  states  except  for  South  Sudan  are  also  parties  to  the  Treaty.  

In  particular,  WANEP  appreciates  the  recent  focus  on  the  humanitarian  consequences  of  nuclear  weapons  which  has  found  expression  in  the  NPT  Review  Conferences  since  20105.  We  stand  in  solidarity  with  the  189  State   Parties   who   unanimously   expressed   their   “deep   concern   at   the   catastrophic   humanitarian  consequences  of  any  use  of  nuclear  weapons  and   reaffirms   the  need   for  all   States  at  all   times   to  comply  with  applicable  international  law,  including  international  humanitarian  law.6”  

WANEP  however  acknowledges  that  as  laudable  as  these  efforts  are,  the  pronouncements  are  not  matched  by  concrete  action.  This  was  most  apparent  at  the  2015  NPT  Review  Conference  held  at  the  United  Nations  office  in  New  York  from  27  April  to  22  May,  in  which  Parties  to  the  Treaty  failed  to  come  to  an  agreement  on  the   substantive  part   of   the  draft   Final  Document.  WANEP   is  worried  by   the   fact   that   the   five   authorized  nuclear  weapons   states;   the  United   States,   Russia,   United   Kingdom,   France,   and   China,   still   have   22,000  warheads  in  their  combined  stockpile  and  have  shown  a  reluctance  to  disarm  further.7  

On  this  International  Day  for  the  Elimination  of  Nuclear  Weapons,  WANEP  echoes  the  concerns  of  the  risks  of  unintended  use  of  nuclear  weapons  and  makes  the  following  recommendations;  

• A  concerted  and   immediate  action  to  reduce  these  risks  and  to  undertake  serious  commitment  to  the  total  elimination  of  nuclear  weapons.  

• Calls   on   the   nuclear   powers   to  make   good   their   commitment   to   the   total   elimination   of   nuclear  weapons  as  pledged  by  President  Obama  in  his  speech  at  the  Prague.  

• Urges   the  United  Nations  General   Assembly   to   employ   its  moral   authority   and   pressurize   the   big  military   spenders   to   live   up   to   their   obligations   to   support   sustainable   development   and   reduce  spending  on  nuclear  weapons.    

                                                                                                                         3  http:/nwp.ilpi.org  4  NPT/conf.2010/50.vol  1,  pp  12  &  19  5  2010  NPT  Review  Conference  Action  Plan  from  the  Final  Document  adopted  by  2010  Review  Conference  of  the  Parties  to  the  Treaty  on  the  Non-­‐Proliferation  of  Nuclear  Weapons  6  NPT/conf.2010/50.vol  1,  pp  12  &  19  7  Wikipedia,  the  Free  encyclopedia  

 

 

• As   noted   by   religious   leaders   that   “the   existence   of   nuclear   weapons   is   a   constant   threat   to   the  fabric  of   life  and  the  sanctity  of  human  life,8  WANEP  calls  for  collective  action  by  all  and  sundry  to  ensure   that   their   governments   and   the   African   Union   uphold   their   responsibility   to   protect   and  defend   their   citizens  by  endorsing   the  humanitarian  pledge  and  supporting  a   total  ban  on  nuclear  weapons.  

 

 

 

For  further  enquiries  kindly  contact  the  Executive  Director  of  WANEP  on:    

Tel:  +233-­‐302-­‐775975/77   Email:  wanep@wanep.org  

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………................................................................  WANEP  is  a  leading  Regional  Peacebuilding  organization  founded  in  1998  in  response  to  civil  wars  that  plagued  West  Africa  in   the  late   1980s.   We   place   special   focus   on   collaborative   approach,   working   alongside   major   actors,   particularly   governments,  intergovernmental   bodies   and   women   in   a   bid   to   establish   a   platform   for   dialogue,   experience   sharing   and   learning,   thereby  complementing  efforts  at  ensuring  sustainable  peace  and  development.  

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                                                                                                                         8  Linnet  Ngayu  :  African  Council  of  Religious  Leaders  –  Religions  for  Peace,  August  31,  2015