Commemoration of the first anniversary of the entry-into-force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Media Statement

26 January 2022

Commemoration of the first anniversary of the entry-into-force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Saturday 22 January 2022, marked the first anniversary of the entry-into-force of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which signals a progressive march-forward in humanity's endeavor to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

The TPNW is the culmination of the very first UN Generally Assembly resolution 76 years ago, in 1946, which sought to deal with the elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons adaptable to mass destruction. While the TPNW is not the final word on nuclear weapons, it is an indispensable step in the advancement of the disarmament and non-proliferation architecture that is required to eventually achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.

Since the catastrophic events of 1945 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the TPNW represents one of the most important developments in the area of nuclear disarmament. The TPNW complements the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and represents the highest non-proliferation standard that the International Community must commit to.

Minister Naledi Pandor said: "This occasion provides an opportunity for all States that have not yet done so, to join an instrument that expresses their total opposition to nuclear weapons without further delay. I take this opportunity to renew South Africa's commitment to the total elimination of nuclear weapons as the only guarantee that nuclear weapons will never again be used by anyone under any circumstances. Nuclear weapons are immoral, unethical and they should not be allowed to exist".

Enquiries: Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 082 884 5974

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION

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