Botswana: Botswana continues to play its role in the implementation and universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). This was stated by Thapelo Otukile, Director of the Chemical, Biological, Nuclear and Radiological Weapons Management Authority, at the Second meeting of the State Parties of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in New York, United States of America recently.
Otukile indicated that “Botswana was the 40th nation to ratify the Treaty and among the original 50 states parties when it entered into force in January 2021. This was a disapproval of nuclear weapons and support for their delegitimization.”
He added that, like all state parties, Botswana’s main motivation is to prevent the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would result from any use of nuclear weapons.
“The non-existence of these destructive weapons is the best guarantee of their non-use. Botswana is also a firm believer that nuclear technology must only be exploited and appropriately utilized for peaceful purposes, particularly in advancing sustainable development.”
Botswana continues to play its role in the implementation and universalization of the TPNW, and the country’s implementation approach is guided by the complementarity of the Treaty and other instruments in the disarmament and non-proliferation framework such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and additional protocols to Safeguards, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and the Pelindaba Treaty.
“Undoubtedly, the NPT and the TPNW are complementary instruments. The TPNW reinforces the obligations of Article VI of the NPT.”
Otukile further pointed out that, “In addition to our national implementation efforts, we are cognizant of the role that we as States Parties ought to play in promoting the idea of “a nuclear-weapon-free world” and in advancing the normative, moral and legal case against nuclear weapons.”
In this context, Botswana continues to articulate its unwavering support for the TPNW at relevant intergovernmental meetings at the UN and also in bilateral discussions with non-parties to the Treaty. “We therefore encourage fellow States Parties to not tire in promoting the TPNW and spreading the message about the danger and illegality of nuclear weapons. We, the States Parties of the TP NW, are on the right side of history.”