The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty

This guide provides an overview of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba), detailing its history, legal requirements for ratification, core prohibitions, and the mechanisms established to ensure compliance across the African continent.

• The Treaty of Pelindaba establishes the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (ANWFZ), which encompasses the entire African continent and various islands, including the Canary Islands, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, and the Chagos Archipelago.
• The Treaty officially entered into force on 15 July 2009, following the deposit of the 28th instrument of ratification by Burundi.
• As of 1 March 2010, all 53 members of the African Union (AU), including the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, had signed the Treaty, though only 29 countries had deposited instruments of ratification.
• State parties to the Treaty commit to several prohibitions, including the renunciation, development, manufacture, stockpiling, and testing of nuclear explosive devices, as well as the dumping of radioactive wastes within the zone.
• The Treaty includes three protocols to ensure compliance by non-state parties: Protocol I and II involve Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) pledging not to use or assist in testing nuclear weapons in the zone, while Protocol III applies to states with de jure or de facto control of territories in the zone, specifically France and Spain.
• The African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) is the designated mechanism for ensuring compliance, with responsibilities including collating reports, reviewing IAEA safeguards, and managing a complaints procedure.
• While prohibiting nuclear weapons, the Treaty supports the use of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes, requiring parties to conclude comprehensive safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
• The Treaty prohibits armed attacks against nuclear installations within the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, whether by conventional or other means.

APA

Stott, N., du Rand, A., & du Preez, J. (2010). The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2008-PelindabaGuideENG.PDF

Chicago

Stott, Noel, Amelia du Rand, and Jean du Preez. The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty. Institute for Security Studies, 2010. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2008-PelindabaGuideENG.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stott |first1=Noel |last2=du Rand |first2=Amelia |last3=du Preez |first3=Jean |title=The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=March 2010 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2008-PelindabaGuideENG.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stott2010african, author = {Stott, Noel and du Rand, Amelia and du Preez, Jean}, title = {{The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2010}, month = mar, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2008-PelindabaGuideENG.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }