Costa Rica
Costa Rica was at the forefront of the diplomatic process towards a treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons, and Costa Rica’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador Elayne Whyte Gómez, chaired the negotiations in 2017 that resulted in the adoption of the TPNW. Costa Rica is a state party to the TPNW from 22 January 2021 and is in compliance with all of the prohibitions in Article 1 of the Treaty.
| TPNW status |
|---|
| Signed (20 Sept 2017) and ratified (5 Jul 2018) |
| Compliance with prohibitions in TPNW Article 1(1) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Art 1(1)(a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compliant |
| Test | Compliant | |
| Possess or stockpile | Compliant | |
| Art 1(1)(b) | Transfer | Compliant |
| Art 1(1)(c) | Receive transfer or control | Compliant |
| Art 1(1)(d) | Use | Compliant |
| Threaten to use | Compliant | |
| Art 1(1)(e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compliant |
| Art 1(1)(f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compliant |
| Art 1(1)(g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compliant |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| Vote on negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Voted yes |
| Participated in treaty negotiations (% women) | Yes (75%) |
| Vote on adoption of treaty text | Voted yes |
| Last vote on UNGA resolution | Voted yes |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Fissile material production facilities | No |
| Highly enriched uranium stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks (military/civilian) | No/No |
| Related treaties and regimes | |
|---|---|
| Party to the NPT | Yes |
| Party to a NWFZ | Yes (Tlatelolco) |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes |
| Party to the PTBT | Yes |
| Member of the CD | No (Observer) |
| IAEA CSA in force | Yes |
| IAEA AP in force | Yes |
| Party to the CWC | Yes |
| Party to the BWC | Yes |
Latest developments
In First Committee of the 2020 UN General Assembly, Costa Rica pointed out that 'any initiative to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons must be joined by a parallel initiative to eliminate all nuclear arms, in a verifiable, irreversible and transparent manner. Costa Rica is also concerned by the apparent lack of urgency and seriousness with which solemn commitments continue to be approached, particularly with respect to nuclear disarmament.' Costa Rica invited all those States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the TPNW, which it called a 'historic instrument, which complements and strengthens the NPT.' See: bit.ly/3lRYQp7.
Recommendations
- Costa Rica should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
- Costa Rica should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative and other necessary measures.