Malawi’s peace and security organisation, People’s Federation For National Peace and Development (PEFENAP), has commended the Malawi government for ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
On Wednesday 29 June, Malawi became the 66th state to accede to the treaty, after signing for it in 2017 by the then minister of foreign affairs, Emmanuel Fabiano.
In his reaction to the ratification, PEFENAP Executive Director Edward Chaka through a press statement released on Friday June 1 July said this is commendable as it will help in cementing the regional and global efforts on building peace and security.
Chaka said he understands that government spent many dedicated hours gathering information, communicating efficiently and enquiring about TPNW, a thing which he said should not be taken for granted
He then added that he is so hopeful that going forward, Malawi’s security agencies will be so vigilant about some prohibited activities including transferring and threat of use of nuclear weapons in regards to the TPNW policies.
“This is great news to our nation and PEFENAP cerebrates with the world Malawi’s ratification of the TPNW considering it a milestone to the history of the nation regarding the international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons with the ultimate goal being their total elimination.
“The development means from now Malawi prohibits the development, testing, production, stockpiling, stationing, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as assistance and encouragement to the prohibited activities,” said Chaka in the statement.
The Executive Director has further expressed commitment to work hand in hand with the Malawi government towards implementation of TPNW policies in the country and also on other security matters.
Malawi’s ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons comes barely a week after the country participated in meeting of states parties which took place in Vienna, Austria in June.
This means Malawi is now the 14th African state to ratify the TPNW, after the Gambia, South Africa, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Nigeria, Benin, Comoros, Seychelles, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, the Congo, and Cabo Verde.
This Treaty is the first globally applicable multilateral agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons and it is also the first to include provisions to help address the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapon use and testing.
TPNW complements existing international agreements on nuclear weapons, in particular the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and agreements establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones.
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