Bhutan
In September 2022, the Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the United Nations informed ICAN that the Royal Government of Bhutan ‘is in the process of reviewing and studying all international treaties and conventions that Bhutan has not been able to ratify’, including the TPNW.[1]
TPNW Status
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compatibility in 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compatible |
| Test | Compatible | |
| Possess or stockpile | Compatible | |
| (b) | Transfer | Compatible |
| (c) | Receive transfer or control | Compatible |
| (d) | Use | Compatible |
| Threaten to use | Compatible | |
| (e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compatible |
| (f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compatible |
| (g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compatible |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | Voted yes (2023) |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | No |
| 2MSP delegation size (% women) | N/A |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| 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 | No |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1985) |
| Ratified the CTBT | No |
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 1978) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2005) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes (24 Oct 1989) |
| 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
Bhutan voted in favour of adopting the TPNW at the UN Diplomatic Conference in 2017 and has consistently voted in favour of the annual UN General Assembly resolutions on the Treaty, including in 2023.
Bhutan maintains policies and practices that are compatible with all of the prohibitions in Article 1 of the TPNW, and can therefore sign and ratify or accede to the Treaty without the need for a change in conduct.
Recommendations
-
Bhutan should urgently adhere to the TPNW.
-
Bhutan should conclude and bring into force an Additional Protocol with the IAEA, and upgrade to a modified Small Quantities Protocol.
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Bhutan should also adhere to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).
1) Email to ICAN on 2 September 2022 from the Permanent Mission of Bhutan to the UN in New York.