The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty: An African Perspective

This policy brief examines the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) from an African perspective, analyzing its compatibility with the African Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty) and the role of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE).

• The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into force on 22 January 2021 after Honduras' ratification on 24 October 2020 provided the 50th signatory. While a milestone, the document notes it does not eliminate the global nuclear threat because many states remain outside the treaty.
• There is a clear normative alignment between the TPNW and the Pelindaba Treaty (the African Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty). The African Union (AU) considers the TPNW to be consistent with the goals of the Pelindaba Treaty, and the authors argue that all African states should sign and ratify both.
• African engagement with nuclear disarmament has historical roots, notably catalyzed by France conducting 17 nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara Desert between 1960 and 1966. This led to early internal debates between 'abolitionists' and 'proliferators' and the 1964 Cairo Declaration, where African states committed to not manufacturing or acquiring nuclear weapons.
• As of 22 January 2021, 29 African states have signed the TPNW, but only seven have ratified it: Botswana, Lesotho, Maldives, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, and The Gambia. In contrast, the Pelindaba Treaty has 52 signatories and 42 ratifications.
• Egypt is identified as a significant outlier; despite its historical role in nuclear diplomacy, it is not a state party to either the Pelindaba Treaty or the TPNW. Egypt's position is influenced by frustrations over the slow progress of a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Free Zone in the Middle East and Israel's nuclear weapons.
• The document highlights a gap in African agency regarding the presence of nuclear-weapon states on the continent. Major partners including the US, France, UK, Russia, and China are not signatories to the TPNW and maintain military bases in Africa, which the AU Peace and Security Council views with concern.
• The authors propose empowering the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) by expanding its mandate to cover all continental disarmament affairs, effectively transforming it into an African equivalent of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

APA

van Wyk, J.-A., & Turianskyi, Y. (2021). The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty: An African Perspective. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Policy-Insights-104-van-wyk-turianskyi.pdf

Chicago

van Wyk, Jo-Ansie, and Yarik Turianskyi. The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty: An African Perspective. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2021. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Policy-Insights-104-van-wyk-turianskyi.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van Wyk |first1=Jo-Ansie |last2=Turianskyi |first2=Yarik |title=The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty: An African Perspective |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=May 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Policy-Insights-104-van-wyk-turianskyi.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vanwyk2021nuclear, author = {van Wyk, Jo-Ansie and Turianskyi, Yarik}, title = {{The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty: An African Perspective}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Policy-Insights-104-van-wyk-turianskyi.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }