Gabon
Gabon voted in favour of adopting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) at the UN negotiating conference in 2017 and has consistently voted in favour of the annual UN General Assembly resolutions on the TPNW, including in 2025, when it was also a co-sponsor. Gabon 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.
TPNW Status
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | No | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1974) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2000) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 2007, Pelindaba) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2010) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2010) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 2007) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2000) | |
| TPNW Art. 1(1) prohibitions: Compatibility in 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compatible |
| Possess or stockpile | Compatible | |
| Test | 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 (2025) |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | No |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | No |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 2 (50%) |
| 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
Gabon attended the Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025 as an observer. It did not make a statement.
At the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in April 2025, Gabon said: ‘Despite the tragedies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the world is still grappling with the resurgence of nuclear threats and the real risk of the use of these weapons.’ It strongly encouraged support for the TPNW.1
At a high-level event on 26 September 2025 marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Gabon said: ‘The total elimination of nuclear weapons remains the only absolute guarantee against their use or the threat of their use. Their mere existence continues to represent an existential threat to humanity and a major obstacle to international peace and security.’ It stressed that ‘any discussion on nuclear weapons must prioritize humanitarian considerations’.2
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, Gabon encouraged the international community to support treaties such as the TPNW. ‘In a world of instability, conflict, and various crises, and faced with the challenges posed by technologies such as artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons systems, a renewed collective commitment to disarmament, non-proliferation, and international security is more urgent than ever,’ it said.3
Recommendations
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Gabon should urgently adhere to the TPNW.