Second anniversary of Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

Photo credit: Michael Preston for Quakers in Britain

Source: Christian CND

Two years ago the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) entered into legal force. Nuclear weapons are officially banned under international law, just like chemical and biological weapons. Since that date more than 90 states have signed the Treaty with dozens formally joining as States Parties.

During the First Meeting of States Parties in Vienna last year a clear roadmap was produced for the Treaty. The TPNW has brought a new energy to the global campaign for nuclear disarmament - something for which we thank God.

The TPNW has the support of the overwhelming majority of global states. 122 voted in favour of it after the lengthy negotiations in 2017, and recently even more states voted in support of the Treaty at the United Nations.

Despite the support of the majority of states, churches, other faiths and civil society across the world, nuclear-armed states have so far failed to engage with the TPNW. We continue to pray that this attitude will change in the coming months and years.

To mark the anniversary Christian CND joined other peace groups in delivering a letter, dated 18 January, to the Foreign Secretary, calling for meaningful progress on nuclear disarmament.

The letter is signed by eight members of the Network of Christian Peace Organisations - including Christian CND and Pax Christi England and Wales - and calls on the UK government to engage with the Treaty with a view to making progress towards nuclear disarmament. The TPNW has been roundly ignored by the UK government, which continues to spend hundreds of billions of pounds on a new generation of nuclear weapons.

Letter to the Foreign Secretary: https://christiancnd.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/NCPO-letter-to-FCO.pdf

Video at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBlf7yAC5Qs