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Pelindaba Treaty - Know the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty in Detail for UPSC!
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The Pelindaba Treaty is also known as the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty. It is an international agreement to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa. The treaty was adopted by the member states of the African Union (AU) in 1996 and came into effect in 2009 after 28 African countries ratified it. The main objective of the Pelindaba Treaty is to prevent the acquisition, development, and possession of nuclear weapons on the African continent and promote cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The treaty also prohibits nuclear explosive devices from being tested, manufactured, or stationed on African soil.
Pelindaba Treaty
In this article, let us look at the Treaty of Pelindaba or the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, its objectives and the signatories, Non-Proliferation Treaty, Nuclear Suppliers Group, African Commission On Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) for the UPSC IAS Examination as the topic is important from the context of International Conventions section which is a part of UPSC mains GS 2 paper.
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Latest Updates
The latest updates on the Pelindaba Treaty are as follows:
- On April 18, 2022, the Republic of South Sudan signed the treaty. This brings the total number of States Parties to 54 out of the 55 countries in Africa.
- The 5th Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty (CSP5) was held in Cairo, Egypt, from November 7-11, 2022. The CSP5 adopted many decisions, including:
- a call on all States Parties to ratify the treaty without delay, and
- a commitment to work towards the universalization of the treaty.
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What is the Pelindaba Treaty?
The Pelindaba Treaty is a nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty. It prohibits the development, testing, production, possession, deployment, and use of nuclear weapons in Africa. It also prohibits the dumping of radioactive waste in the African region. The treaty was adopted in 1996 and entered into force in 2009.
Historical Background of the Pelindaba Treaty
The historical background of the Pelindaba Treaty can be traced back to the 1960s. The Organization of African Unity (OAU) began to discuss the possibility of creating a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa. In 1964, the OAU adopted a resolution calling for the establishment of such a zone. In 1969, the OAU Commission on Science and Technology was tasked with drafting a treaty to achieve this goal.
The Pelindaba Treaty was finally negotiated and adopted in 1996. It was named after the Pelindaba Nuclear Research Centre in South Africa. The treaty prohibits the development, testing, production, possession, deployment, and use of nuclear weapons in Africa. It also prohibits the dumping of radioactive waste in the African region.
The Pelindaba Treaty entered into force in 2009 after it was ratified by the required 28 countries. As of today, 54 of the 55 countries in Africa are States Parties to the treaty. The only country that has not yet ratified the treaty is South Sudan.
Objectives Of the Pelindaba Treaty
- It attempts to stop the free export of Africa’s vital minerals (for example – Uranium) to other nations and the spread of nuclear technology.
- African states aim to prevent the development, production, testing, acquisition, or stationing of nuclear weapons in any of the nations in the African continent or adjacent islands through the treaty.
- It calls for total nuclear disarmament by African states and promotes cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy to attain global peace and security as a significant step towards bolstering the global non-proliferation system.
- This agreement is a component of a larger plan to make the Common African Defense and Security Policy come into force. As a result, it is an essential part of the AU’s (African Union) broader peace and security architecture.
- The Treaty forbids the manufacture, stockpiling, testing, possession, control, or stationing of nuclear explosive devices on the territory of Treaty parties, as well as the disposal of radioactive waste in the African zone by Treaty parties.
- The Treaty forbids Treaty parties from attacking any nuclear sites in the area and mandates them to maintain the highest levels of physical security for nuclear equipment, facilities, and materials, all of which are to be employed strictly for peaceful purposes.
- The treaty encourages the peaceful application of nuclear research and technology.
- The treaty aims to bolster the objectives of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). In line with the regulations of the NPT, the Treaty of Pelindaba not only commits African states not to produce, procure, test, or hold nuclear armaments but also enables the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in the continent.
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Member States Of the Pelindaba Treaty
Out of all the states existing in the African Union, 52 member states have signed the Pelindaba Treaty, while 41 of them have signed and ratified it. South Sudan, which remained a part of Sudan until July 2011, is the only African nation that has not signed the Pelindaba Treaty.
States that have ratified the Treaty
41 nations of the African Union (AU) have deposited their instruments of ratification of the Treaty.
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Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cameroon Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of Congo Republic of Congo Côte d’Ivoire Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho |
Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Senegal Seychelles South Africa Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Zambia Zimbabwe |
States that have signed the Pelindaba Treaty but not have ratified
The nations of the African Union (AU) that have signed the Treaty but not have ratified it have been listed below.
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Central African Republic Djibouti Egypt Eritrea Liberia |
Sao Tome and Principe Sierra Leone Somalia Sudan Uganda |
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Protocols Followed by the Pelindaba Treaty
There are three Protocols in the treaty.
- By Protocol I, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the People's Republic of China are invited never to use or threaten to use a nuclear explosive device against another Treaty party or their territory in the African zone.
- By Protocol II, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, and China are asked to formally commit to refraining from testing nuclear explosive devices anywhere within the African zone and assisting or encouraging such testing.
- Only Spain and France may become Parties to Protocol III, which is open to nations with dependent territories in the zone and requires them to uphold specific Treaty obligations with regard to these areas.
- The Protocols have been signed and ratified by the Russian Federation, China, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States as of March 11, 2011, but not by the United States. Protocol III was not ratified or signed by Spain.
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Verification of the Pelindaba Treaty
- The African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) will be established to monitor adherence to the Treaty requirements of the Pelindaba Treaty after it comes into effect.
- The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Executive Secretary make up the Bureau of AFCONE, which meets in regular sessions once a year.
- AFCONE is in charge of the following:
- gathering reports and facilitating information exchange
- organizing consultations
- holding conferences
- examining the application of peaceful nuclear activities of safeguards by the IAEA
- handling complaints
- fostering regional and sub-regional cooperation programs for peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology and
- Enhancing global cooperation.
- Although an extra session may be necessary to resolve disagreements, the Commission is generally convened once a year.
- At the first Treaty conference in November 2010, decisions were made regarding AFCONE’s headquarters and membership. The headquarters of the commission was chosen to be located in South Africa.
- gathering reports and facilitating information exchange
- organizing consultations
- holding conferences
- examining the application of peaceful nuclear activities of safeguards by the IAEA
- handling complaints
- fostering regional and sub-regional cooperation programs for peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology and
- Enhancing global cooperation.
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Compliance with the Pelindaba Treaty
- A party with cause to complain that another Party to the Treaty or Protocol II is in breach of its duties must bring the issue to the offending Party’s notice and give the latter 30 days to respond to the complaint and explain how it will be resolved.
- If the issue is not rectified, the complaining Party may take that up with AFCONE, who may ask the IAEA to inspect as quickly as possible. AFCONE may also choose to send one of its representatives with the inspection team of the agency.
- States Parties to the Treaty will convene in an extraordinary session to consider the situation if AFCONE determines that the Party complained about violating its responsibilities under this Treaty.
- The States Parties gathered in an extraordinary session may offer advice to the African Union and the Party believed to violate its commitments.
- The African Union may report the situation to the UN Security Council if required.
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Application of the Pelindaba Treaty
- The Pelindaba Treaty and its Protocols apply to the entire African continent, except where otherwise specified.
- The treaty does not affect the rights of any country to use the seas freely, as guaranteed by international law.
African Commission On Nuclear Energy (AFCONE)
African Commission On Nuclear Energy (AFCONE) is the Secretariat of the African Nuclear Weapon Free-Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty), whose major goal is to ensure that African States are committed to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, thereby improving international peace and security. AFCONE promotes the secure and safe use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, benefiting the African States.
AFCONE’S Vision
AFCONE is the top nuclear organization in Africa, with the unique responsibility of supervising and organizing nuclear cooperation and activity in Africa to encourage sustainable development in Africa and world peace and security.
AFCONE’S Mission
To promote the safe, secure, and responsible use of nuclear energy in Africa and to safeguard the continent’s territorial waters from nuclear weapons.
The Strategic Pillars of AFCONE
- Denuclearization of Africa
- Nuclear Security, Disarmament and Development
- Nuclear Proliferation Prevention
- Integration, Cooperation, and Partnership in Nuclear Energy for Peaceful Purposes
- Capacity Building, Research, Production, and Communication in Nuclear Science and Technology for Peaceful Purposes
- Pollution Prevention from Radioactive Wastes and Other Radioactive Materials
- Radiological and Nuclear Safety
- Stabilization and Strengthening of the Organization
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Pelindaba Treaty - FAQs
When was the Treaty of Pelindaba signed?
The Treaty of Pelindaba was opened for signature by the nations of the African Union on 12th April, 1996 in Cairo, Egypt and it came into effect on 15th July, 2009.
Is there a nuclear Weapon in Africa?
Africa is free from nuclear weapons. The last nuclear-armed country in Africa, South Africa, gave them up in 1989, and Libya halted developing nuclear weapons in 2003. All African countries, with the exception of South Sudan, are now signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Where was the first nuclear-weapon-free zone applied?
In 1980, Palau became the first country to be nuclear-free. By effectively giving up the nuclear deterrent, New Zealand became the first country in the Western allies to pass legislation establishing a national nuclear free zone.
What is the Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty?
The creation of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZ) is a regional strategy for bolstering international nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament norms and coordinating peace and security activities.
How many countries are nuclear free?
Five Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZs) exist at the moment, spanning regions in much of the Southern Hemisphere and Central Asia. Mongolia and Antarctica also enjoy a unique status as nuclear-weapon-free nations.
What is the name of the first disarmament Treaty?
The first international treaty to restrict the spread of nuclear weapons was the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which was signed in 1968 and came into existence in 1970. 189 countries are currently the members of the NPT.