Nuclear disarmament: what the world can learn from Africa

The paper examines Africa's role in global nuclear disarmament, highlighting the Pelindaba Treaty as a model for regional non-proliferation and the shift from a security-based to a humanitarian-based narrative to challenge nuclear-armed states.

• Africa has established the world's largest Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone through the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty) of 1996, which prohibits the research, development, manufacturing, stockpiling, acquisition, possession, or control of nuclear explosive devices. As of July 2021, the treaty has been signed by 52 African Union member states and ratified by 42.
• African states have helped shift the global discourse on nuclear weapons from a narrative of 'inter-State security' and deterrence used by nuclear-armed states toward a humanitarian justification that prioritizes human security over state security.
• Despite the success of the Pelindaba Treaty, there is a gap in the adoption of the global Ban Treaty within Africa; while 29 African states have signed it, only 9 have ratified it.
• The document identifies nine current nuclear weapons states: China, the USA, the UK, Russia, Israel, France, North Korea, India, and Pakistan, noting that over 13,000 nuclear weapons remain in existence.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). Nuclear disarmament: what the world can learn from Africa. https://saiia.org.za/research/nuclear-disarmament-what-the-world-can-learn-from-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Nuclear disarmament: what the world can learn from Africa. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/nuclear-disarmament-what-the-world-can-learn-from-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Nuclear disarmament: what the world can learn from Africa |date=6 September 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/nuclear-disarmament-what-the-world-can-learn-from-africa/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021nuclear, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Nuclear disarmament: what the world can learn from Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/nuclear-disarmament-what-the-world-can-learn-from-africa/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }