Botswana
Botswana is an example to be followed by other states, as it has adhered to all of the seven key treaties in the legal architecture on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in addition to being party to a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ) treaty.
TPNW Status
TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: compliance in 2024 | ||
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(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 | |
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UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | Voted yes (2024) |
Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
2MSP delegation size (% women) | 4 (0%) |
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 | |
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Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 1999, Pelindaba) |
Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1969) |
Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2002) |
Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 1992) |
Party to the CWC | Yes (Acceded 1998) |
IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
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Safeguards agreement | Yes (In force 2006) |
TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
Small Quantities Protocol | No |
Additional Protocol | Yes (In force 2006) |
Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
HEU stocks | No |
Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
Botswana participated in the Second Meeting of States Parties (2MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in November-December 2023. ‘[T]he progress of the TPNW serves as a beacon of hope at a time when heightened geopolitical tensions are undermining the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation agenda and are posing serious risks to global security,’ it said.1
Botswana participated in the African Conference on the Universalisation and Implementation of the TPNW in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in September 2024.2
Recommendations
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Botswana should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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Botswana should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.