The Treaty of Pelindaba

The Treaty of Pelindaba establishes Africa as a nuclear-weapon-free zone, prohibiting the development, testing, and stationing of nuclear explosive devices. Entered into force on 15 July 2009, the treaty requires member states to renounce nuclear weapons and implement strict non-proliferation measures for peaceful nuclear energy use. It establishes the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) for compliance monitoring and includes three protocols for non-African nuclear-weapon states and those controlling territories within the zone. As of March 2011, 31 African Union members have ratified the treaty.

• The Treaty of Pelindaba officially entered into force on 15 July 2009, following the deposit of the 28th instrument of ratification by Burundi.
• The treaty prohibits the research, development, manufacture, stockpiling, acquisition, possession, and testing of nuclear explosive devices anywhere, as well as their stationing within the African zone.
• Member states are prohibited from dumping radioactive wastes or other radioactive matter within the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone and are encouraged to follow the Bamako Convention guidelines.
• The treaty allows for the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology, provided that activities are conducted under strict non-proliferation measures and verified through comprehensive safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
• The African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE), headquartered in South Africa, is the established mechanism for ensuring treaty compliance, collating reports, and promoting international cooperation for peaceful nuclear uses.
• Three protocols target non-African states: Protocol I and II require nuclear-weapon states not to use, threaten to use, or assist in testing nuclear devices in the zone; Protocol III requires states with territories in the zone (France and Spain) to apply treaty principles to those areas.
• As of 1 March 2011, all 53 African Union members have signed the treaty, but only 31 have deposited instruments of ratification.
• The Russian Federation ratified the protocols on 11 March 2011, but included reservations regarding allied commitments and the U.S. base at Diego Garcia.

APA

Stott, N. (2011). The Treaty of Pelindaba. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2011-NuclearPelindaba.pdf

Chicago

Stott, Noël. The Treaty of Pelindaba. Institute for Security Studies, 2011. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2011-NuclearPelindaba.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Stott |first1=Noël |title=The Treaty of Pelindaba |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2011 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2011-NuclearPelindaba.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stott2011treaty, author = {Stott, Noël}, title = {{The Treaty of Pelindaba}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2011}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Handbooks-2011-NuclearPelindaba.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }