Congo
The Republic of the Congo 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 2022) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1978) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2014) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 2013, Pelindaba) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2011) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2011) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 1978) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2007) | |
| TPNW Art. 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (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 3MSP (2025) | Yes |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | No |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 3 (0%) |
| 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
In the general debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025, the President of the Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso, said: ‘Disarmament treaties are being called into question, while the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, is once again at the forefront of concerns. This drift is dangerous in every respect. It does not make our world safer. On the contrary, it exposes it to the most serious dangers, including the risk of a widespread conflagration that would spiral out of control.’1
At the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025, the Congo condemned ‘the production and use of nuclear weapons, whose devastating effects are well known to all’. It also voiced support for the Vienna Action Plan adopted at the First Meeting of States Parties (1MSP) in 2022 and called on States ‘to combine their efforts to bring about a world free of nuclear weapons, starting with the signing and ratification of relevant instruments’.2
At the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in April 2025, the Congo welcomed ‘the efforts made to date to continue condemning any tendency to produce and use nuclear weapons as a solution to any crises and conflicts that may arise between nuclear-armed States and their allies’.3
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, the Congo said that ‘we need to achieve the complete elimination of nuclear weapons to bring about international peace and security and achieve economic progress and development’. It urged all States to sign and ratify relevant treaties in this field and noted the forthcoming Review Conference of the TPNW in 2026.4
Recommendations
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The Congo should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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The Congo should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.