Comoros
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2023, Comoros said that it was ‘heartening to see that the number of TPNW signatories continues to increase’ and urged ‘all States to join this effort for a safer world’. ‘The doctrine of nuclear deterrence advocated by certain States is a false promise of security,’ it added. ‘It is based on the threat of the use of weapons of mass destruction – threats which, if carried out, would lead to unimaginable humanitarian and environmental consequences. Comoros condemns any threat or use of nuclear weapons and urges all States to reject this dangerous doctrine.’ [1]
TPNW Status
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (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 (2023) |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| 2MSP delegation size (% women) | 5 (20%) |
| 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 2012, Pelindaba) |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1995) |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2021) |
| Party to the BWC | No |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2006) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes (20 Jan 2009) |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | Yes (Modified) |
| Additional Protocol | Yes |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
Comoros participated in the Second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (2MSP) in November and December 2023, where it emphasised the importance of universalising the TPNW. ‘We must organise, participate and support all efforts to promote accession to the Treaty,’ it said. ‘It is by unifying our voices and our actions that we can delegitimise, stigmatise and, ultimately, eliminate nuclear weapons.’2
Comoros was one of the co-sponsors for the 2023 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’.3 In January 2023, it participated in an African regional seminar on universalisation of the TPNW in Pretoria, hosted by the South African foreign ministry.4
Recommendations
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Comoros should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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Comoros should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.
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Comoros should adhere to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).