The treaty was first drawn up in 2017, through a UN General Assembly resolution and has the support of over 80 nations. But it could not go into effect until at least 50 governments had ratified it, a move that occurred only on Friday with an agreement by Honduras to do so.
None of the world’s nuclear power supported the treaty, which was ratified by only three Western countries; Austria, Ireland and New Zealand.
Israel is not signed onto the treaty. It is widely considered to have nuclear weapons but has rejected such claims.
Guterres said the treaty, “represents a meaningful commitment towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, which remains the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations.”
The treaty’s “entry-into-force is a tribute to the survivors of nuclear explosions and tests, many of whom advocated for this Treaty,” Guterres added.
The UN Secretary-General has been a strong advocate for global action against nuclear weapons.
According to the Geneva based International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), some nine nations are in possession of 13,400 nuclear warheads. Russia has the largest arsenal with 6,375 warheads, followed by the US with 5,800. In addition, according to ICAN, China has 320, France has 290, the United Kingdom has 215, Pakistan has 160, India 150 and North Korea has 30 to 40. ICAN has also alleged that Israel has 90 nuclear warheads.
ICAN’s Executive Director Beatrice Fihn said the Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons marked “a new chapter for nuclear disarmament. Decades of activism have achieved what many said was impossible: nuclear weapons are banned.”
“Real leadership has been shown by the countries that have joined this historical instrument to bring it to full legal effect. Desperate attempts to weaken these leaders’ commitment to nuclear disarmament demonstrate only the fear of nuclear armed states of the change this treaty will bring,” Fihn added.
Based on the document’s text, signatories to the treaty have agreed not to “Develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.” They have also agreed not to assist in the development by other countries in the production or transfer of such weapons.
The Treaty on the Probation of Nuclear Weapons exists in conjunction with a 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, that has the support of 188 countries and governments. Israel is also not a signatory to that treaty, but the Palestinian Authority has also signed onto it.
Countries and governments that ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons were: Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bangladesh, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominca, Ecuador, El Salvador, Fiji, Gambia, Guyana, Holy Se, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Lae People’s Democratic republic, Lesotho, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and then Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, South Africa, Palestinian Authority, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela and Vietnam.