Cambodia
Cambodia 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
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | Yes (Ratified 2021) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1972) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2000) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 1997, Bangkok) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 1999) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2015) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 1983) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2005) | |
| TPNW Art. 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compliant |
| Possess or stockpile | Compliant | |
| Test | 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 (2025) |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Yes |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 4 (11%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Voted yes |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Nuclear facilities | No |
| Fissile material production | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
| SQP with the IAEA | Yes (Revised) |
Latest developments
Cambodia participated in the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025 and served as a vice-president of the bureau. It said that the Treaty ‘represents a historic milestone in the global effort to achieve nuclear disarmament’ and is ‘a testament to the collective will of the international community to eliminate the most inhumane and destructive weapons ever created’. It urged all States, particularly nuclear-armed States and those under nuclear umbrellas, ‘to join this critical endeavour’.1
At the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in April 2025, Cambodia noted the ‘growing global resolve to eliminate nuclear weapons’ as demonstrated by the States Parties to the TPNW. ‘As we approach the TPNW’s First Review Conference, Cambodia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to a nuclear-weapon-free world and stands ready to work with all partners to advance the Treaty’s objectives,’ it said.2
At a high-level event on 26 September 2025 marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Cambodia noted that the TPNW ‘builds upon the foundation of the NPT and reflects our shared aspiration for a world free of nuclear arms’. It reiterated its call for all States to join the Treaty: ‘The time to act is now so that we do not leave the threat of nuclear weapons as a burden to future generations.’3
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, Cambodia said that the TPNW ‘represents a significant milestone in the long-standing global aspiration for a world free of nuclear weapons’. It once again called upon all States to sign and ratify it without delay. ‘The painful lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki … remind us that disarmament is not merely a political objective but a moral imperative for the survival of humankind,’ it said.4
Recommendations
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Cambodia should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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Cambodia should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.