Holy See
The Holy See 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.
TPNW Status
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | Yes (Ratified 2017) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1971) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2001) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | No | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 1972) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 1998) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 2002) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 1999) | |
| TPNW Art. 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (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) | N/A |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Yes |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 7.33 (30%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | N/A |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Nuclear facilities | No |
| Fissile material production | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
| SQP with the IAEA | Yes (Revised) |
Latest developments
At the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025, the Holy See said: ‘Amidst the numerous challenges and alarming trends currently prevailing on the global stage, the [TPNW] stands as a beacon of hope and progress. With its legally binding provision for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, the TPNW fills a critical gap in the global disarmament architecture.’1
In the Conference on Disarmament in February 2025, the Secretary for Relations with States of the Holy See, Paul Gallagher, expressed concern about ‘the continuous expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals accompanied by escalating rhetoric and threats concerning their deployment’. He also noted that ‘Pope Francis has repeatedly reaffirmed the immorality of manufacturing and possessing nuclear weapons’.2
At the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in April 2025, the Holy See encouraged ‘continued efforts to explore how the NPT and the [TPNW] can serve to complement and reinforce one another, particularly in the areas of nuclear disarmament verification, environmental rehabilitation, and assistance to victims’.3
At a high-level event on 26 September 2025 marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the Holy See encouraged states to join the TPNW ‘as a concrete step towards achieving a world free from nuclear weapons and preventing the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would ensue from their use’.4
In the general debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025, Secretary Gallagher described the production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons as ‘a grave offence against peace, as it diverts resources from promoting integral human development towards instruments of destruction’. He called for the full implementation of the TPNW and other treaties.5
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, the Holy See strongly encouraged States to ratify the NPT, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and the TPNW, ‘which offer a tangible and optimistic path towards liberating humanity from the threat of nuclear weapons, while promoting peace for future generations’.6
Recommendations
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The Holy See should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
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The Holy See should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.