5-3-4-2The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

 

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was endorsed by 122 countries at the United Nations on July 7, 2017. The preamble of the treaty refers to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences and the unacceptable suffering of and harm caused to the victims of the use of nuclear weapons (hibakusha), and its text prohibits to develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons, use and threaten to use nuclear weapons. Also, the treaty states that any nuclear-armed nation can join the treaty, on the premise that it fulfills the obligations to eliminate nuclear weapons which are in its possession not later than a designated deadline, being verified by a competent international authority.

The number of ratifying countries reached 50 on October 24, 2020, thus allowing the treaty to enter into effect on January 22, 2021. It it considered that the issue of the international community is now to facilitate all states including nuclear armed nations and nations that are under the nuclear umbrella to sign the treaty.