Communiqué of the 1071st meeting of the PSC held on 31 March 2022, on the implementation of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba)

AFRICAN UNION

Ju&i juni

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321

Email: situationroom@africa-union.org

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 1071^st MEETING 31 MARCH 2022 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

PSC/PR/COMM.1071(2022)

COMMUNIQUE

COMMUNIQUE

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1071^st meeting held on 31 March 2022, on the implementation of the African Nuclear-Weapon- Free-Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba):

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on nuclear energy, non­proliferation, disarmament and the status of the Treaty of Pelindaba, particularly its Communique [PSC/PR/COMM. (DLXXXIV)] adopted at the 584^th meeting ofthe Council, held on 29 March 2016, as well as the provisions of the Treaty of Pelindaba and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which was adopted in July 2017 and came into force on 22 January 2021, all of which are instruments aimed at the total prohibition and elimination of Nuclear Weapons;

Noting the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Prof. Mafa Sejanamane, the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the AU and PSC Chairperson for the month of March 2022, and the presentation by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and also noting the presentation by Mr. Messaoud Baaliouamer, Acting Executive Secretary of the African Commission on Nuclear Energy (AFCONE), as well as the statements by the representatives of the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) and the International Committee ofthe Red Cross (ICRC);

Mindful of the objective of Strategic Priority Four of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) roadmap which aims at enhancing the timeliness and effectiveness ofthe response to strategic security challenges by all stakeholders, including the implementation of the international regimes on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), disarmament and non­proliferation; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:

1. Welcomes the progress made towards the implementation of the Treaty of Pelindaba and commends the AFCONE for its efforts, including the development of Joint Action Plans in partnership with international organizations and other stakeholders in Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones, aimed at consolidating and strengthening efforts towards nuclear disarmament, non­proliferation and peaceful application of nuclear science and technology; and encourages sustained action particularly through the involvement of the youth and women in peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology;

2. Expresses deep concern over the recent developments relating to the possible use of nuclear weapons in the world which weakens the objectives of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and continues to undermine peace, security and the humanitarian situation in the world in general, and in Africa in particular; and appeals to those concerned to find amicable means of resolving their differences and protecting the populations from the impact of nuclear weapons;

3. Reiterates the pivotal importance of Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zones in the quest to strengthen global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation norms and to consolidate international efforts towards achieving the objectives of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; and in the regard, reaffirms the urgency to attain the universality ofthe treaty of the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT), as well as the implementation of the resolution adopted by the 1995 review and extension conference on establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons as well as other weapons of mass destruction;

4. Reiterates the critical contribution ofthe Pelindaba Treaty to the global efforts aimed at eliminating nuclear weapons, and stresses that balanced and unconditional action should be taken to implement its pillars of disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology;

5. Requests AFCONE, working with the Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other partners, to continue to mobilize resources, including technical expertise, to build the capacities of the relevant agencies of the Member States to promote the use of nuclear science and technology for peaceful and developmental purposes;

6. Encourages, States Parties to the Treaty to fulfil their financial obligations and ensure the timely implementation of the decision of the 4^th Ordinary Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Treaty of Pelindaba held in March 2018, in order to enable AFCONE to discharge its mandate with the required efficiency and effectiveness, and to promote nuclear science and technology on the Continent;

7. Calls for the strengthening of efforts towards nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy programmes through the implementation of joint action plans between AFCONE, IAEA, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), in view of their significance as preventive mechanisms;

8. Looks forward to the outcomes of the 5^th Conference of States Parties scheduled to be held from 27 to 28 April 2022, at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, and encourages the States Parties to use this forum to propose actionable decisions for the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology to the benefit of the African peoples;

9. Appeals to Member States that have not yet done so, to ratify or accede to the Treaty of Pelindaba, without further delay and reiterates its call on the Parties to the Protocols of the Treaty to affirm their respect for the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty by ratifying the same, as soon as possible;

10. Encourages Member States to participate in the First Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons scheduled for June 2022, including as observers, and further encourages Member States to participate at the 10^th Review Conference of the NPT scheduled for August 2022 and at the 4^th Conference of Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zones and Mongolia scheduled for July 2022 while reiterating the paramount importance of inclusiveness and the right of all States Parties to Treaties establishing Nuclear- Weapon-Free Zones to participate in such meetings;

11. Decidesto remain actively seized ofthe matter.