From September 15th, delegates from London CND visited several embassies across London, representing states that have signed but not yet ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). We wanted to raise awareness, promote, and encourage the ratification of the Treaty to commemorate the UN Day of Peace on 21st September, the theme of which for 2025 was Act Now for a Peaceful World.
The Treaty was adopted in 2017 and came into force in January 2021. It contains a series of measures prohibiting all activities relating to nuclear weapons and aims to establish a complete global ban. It also obligates signatory states to assist and support those affected by nuclear weapons use and testing and to conduct environmental remediation of contaminated areas. Representing LRCND in campaigning for a peaceful world, delegates Daniel Britton, Christine Shawcroft, Phil Sedler, John Morris, Rosemary Addington, and Sally Spiers met with Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and embassy officials. The message this year was simple: in a world fraught with violence and warfare, constantly teetering on the brink of nuclear disaster, how can we encourage your state to move towards ratification of the treaty?
The response we received was encouraging. Meeting with the embassies of the Holy See, Mozambique, Barbados, Tanzania, and on separate dates with Algeria and Brunei, we found that, apart from the Holy See, where they had already ratified the treaty, the bureaucratic wheels were in motion towards ratification. We were reminded that many states are still scarred by the effects of nuclear weapons and weapons testing. In Algeria, for example, parts of the Sahara used by the French for nuclear testing in the 1960s were still uninhabitable. The Holy See was particularly supportive and encouraged us to carry our message to the Archbishop of Westminster.
The delegation outside the Mozambique High Commision
Fortuitously, this year’s embassy visits also happened to coincide with Ghana’s and Kyrgyzstan’s ratification of the Treaty. We are proud to have spoken with officials in the embassy of Ghana to encourage ratification during last year’s embassy visit. The world is now at a point where 99 of 197 eligible states have ratified the Treaty. The global majority is therefore on the side of the TPNW and the path to a world without nuclear weapons. On the UN Day of Peace, we were reminded of the urgency to act but also encouraged by the steady progress being made toward a world free of nuclear weapons.
In the weeks ahead, we plan to hold follow-up meetings with representatives from Brunei and the Archbishop of Westminster to continue building momentum toward universal ratification of the Treaty.