Kazakhstan Took Part in the African Conference on the Universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, DKnews.kz reports
Kazakhstan delegation led by the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Ethiopia and Kenya concurrently, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the African Union, the UN Environment Programme and UN-HABITAT Barlybay Sadykov took part in the African Conference on the Universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
The Conference was convened by the Republic of South Africa, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with the support of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria.
The Conference was attended by heads and representatives of international organizations, the diplomatic corps, scientific and expert circles of African countries.
The conference participants discussed issues related to the TPNW from a regional perspective, including the risks associated with the possible use of nuclear weapons, the humanitarian consequences of their use, the relationship between the Treaty and the security and disarmament architectures in Africa, the role of African states in the universalization of the TPNW and its further implementation, etc.
The commitment of African countries to the policy of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and the adoption in this regard in 1964 in Cairo at the First Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) of the Decision on the Denuclearization of Africa, as well as the signing and entry into force in 2009 of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Africa (Treaty of Pelindaba) was noted.
During the discussions, the participants emphasized the importance of cooperation between countries, international and regional organizations to achieve the goals of the TPNW and strengthen international security.
Kazakhstan was invited to the Conference as the Chair of the Third Meeting of the States Parties to the TPNW, which will be held on March 3-7, 2025 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
In his speech, Ambassador Sadykov emphasized the importance of the global movement to prohibit nuclear weapons and recalled Kazakhstan’s contribution to the process of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. He noted that Kazakhstan, as a country, which renounced the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal and closed the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site, actively supports efforts to strengthen the TPNW regime.
“Kazakhstan is firmly convinced that a world without nuclear weapons is not just a goal, but a vital necessity for the future of humanity. We call on all countries to join this treaty and work together to fully implement it” Barlybay Sadykov
Barlybay Sadykov called on the Conference participants to support the initiative to establish an International Trust Fund under the TPNW for international cooperation in addressing issues related to assistance to victims of nuclear tests and environmental remediation, as well as Kazakhstan’s initiative to create an International Biological Safety Agency.
The Conference participants highly appreciated Kazakhstan’s contribution to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and expressed their support for further deepening cooperation to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted on July 7, 2017, at the UN headquarters in New York and entered into force on January 22, 2021. As of September 2024, it has been signed by 93 states and ratified by 70, including Kazakhstan. Of the 54 African states that are UN members, the Treaty has been signed by 33 and ratified by 16 states.
