Barbados
Barbados was one of five states that signed the TPNW on 22 September 2022 at a high-level ceremony at the UN in New York.
TPNW Status
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compliant |
| Test | Compliant | |
| Possess or stockpile | Compliant | |
| (b) | Transfer | Compliant |
| (c) | Receive transfer or control | Compliant |
| (d) | Use | Compliant |
| Threaten to use | Compliant | |
| (e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compliant |
| (f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compliant |
| (g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compliant |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | Voted yes (2022) |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | No |
| 1MSP delegation size (% women) | N/A |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Did not vote |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Voted yes |
| Other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) treaties | |
|---|---|
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 1969, Tlatelolco) |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1980) |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2008) |
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 1973) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Acceded 2007) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | Yes (Original) |
| Additional Protocol | No |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
Barbados was among the co-sponsors for the 2022 UN General Assembly resolution on the TPNW, which called upon ‘all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date.'1
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2022, Barbados delivered a statement on behalf of the member states in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), announcing that they were all either states parties or signatories to the TPNW or ‘in the process of acceding to' the Treaty. The statement further said 'CARICOM is concerned that nuclear weapons continue to figure as a key component of the security doctrine of some states. Promotion of or reliance on nuclear deterrence as a security strategy merely perpetuates the false notion that we are safer by the assurance of mutual destruction. CARICOM resoundly rejects this approach and reminds that the very existence of nuclear weapons continues to present an unacceptable risk to both people and planet. It is for this reason that CARICOM Member States support the implementation of the [TPNW].'2
Recommendations
- Barbados should urgently ratify the TPNW.
- Barbados should conclude and bring into force an Additional Protocol with the IAEA, and upgrade to a Modified Small Quantities Protocol.