Mozambique Ratifies African Nuke-Free Zone Treaty

Mozambique’s parliament yesterday ratified the African Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone Treaty, the Mozambique Information Agency reported (see GSN, June 1, 2006).

The treaty requires signatories “not to conduct research on, develop, manufacture, stockpile or otherwise acquire, possess or have control over any nuclear explosive device by any means anywhere,” and “not to seek or receive any assistance in the research on, development, manufacture, stockpiling or acquisition, or possession of any nuclear explosive device.”

The agreement also prohibits members from permitting foreign powers to deploy any nuclear weapon in their territory and from assisting in any nuclear weapon test or encouraging a test at any location.

The treaty has been signed by 51 African nations and ratified by 24 countries.  Another four nations must ratify the pact before it can enter into force.

Mozambican Foreign Minister Oldemiro Baloi called nuclear weapons-free zones “one of the most effective means of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and of promoting general and complete disarmament.”

Baloi said that interest in the treaty was spurred by the 1960 French nuclear bomb test in the Sahara Desert and by South Africa’s ultimately abandoned nuclear weapon program.

Nuclear weapon-free zone treaties have been signed covering Antarctica, Latin America and the Caribbean islands, the South Pacific, and Southeast and Central Asia (Mozambique Information Agency/allAfrica.com, March 26).

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