Egypt
Egypt voted in favour of adopting the TPNW at the UN Diplomatic Conference in 2017 and has consistently voted in favour of the annual UN General Assembly resolutions on the Treaty, including in 2022.
TPNW Status
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compatibility in 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compatible |
| Test | Compatible | |
| Possess or stockpile | Compatible | |
| (b) | Transfer | Compatible |
| (c) | Receive transfer or control | Compatible |
| (d) | Use | Compatible |
| Threaten to use | Compatible | |
| (e) | Assist, encourage or induce | Compatible |
| (f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compatible |
| (g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compatible |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | Voted yes (2022) |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | No |
| 1MSP delegation size (% women) | N/A |
| 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 | |
|---|---|
| Party to an NWFZ | No (Signed 1996, Pelindaba) |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1981) |
| Ratified the CTBT | No (Signed 1996, Annex 2 state) |
| Party to the BWC | No (Signed 1972) |
| Party to the CWC | No |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | No |
| Additional Protocol | No |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
Egypt maintains policies and practices that are compatible with all of the prohibitions in Article 1 of the TPNW, and can therefore sign and ratify or accede to the Treaty without the need for a change in conduct.
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2022, Egypt reiterated ‘its concern over the grave threat posed to humanity and international security by the continued possession of nuclear weapons by a few states’, and reaffirmed that ‘the total, verifiable and irreversible elimination of nuclear weapons is the only guarantee against their proliferation, use or threat of use’.1
Speaking on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition, Egypt said that the action plan adopted at the First Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW reflects ‘a commendable political will and true commitment’ by the participating states. ‘As an “effective measure” on nuclear disarmament, the TPNW is fully consistent with and complements the NPT,’ it added.2
In a letter to ICAN dated 2 December 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt indicated that the matter of signing and ratifying the TPNW 'is subject to an ongoing internal review and assessment by the Egyptian government'.3
Recommendations
- Egypt should urgently adhere to the TPNW.
- Egypt should conclude and bring into force an Additional Protocol with the IAEA.
- Egypt should also ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), and adhere to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).