Jamaica
Addressing the First Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (1MSP) in Vienna in June 2022, Jamaica said: ‘While our Treaty is new, it is a clear demonstration of the belief of the majority of the world that there is neither a legal nor moral justification for the development, possession, reliance on or use of nuclear weapons in any context.’[1]
TPNW Status
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (a) | Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire | Compliant |
| Test | Compliant | |
| Possess or stockpile | 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 (2023) |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Yes |
| 1MSP delegation size (% women) | 1 (0%) |
| 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 | Yes (Ratified 1969, Tlatelolco) |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1970) |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2001) |
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 1975) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2000) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | No (Rescinded 2006) |
| Additional Protocol | Yes |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | Cleared |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
At the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in August 2022, Jamaica described the TPNW’s entry into force in 2021 as ‘a welcome step in implementing Article VI of the NPT’.2
Marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on 26 September 2022, Jamaica expressed hope that the convening of the 1MSP would ‘focus hearts and minds to summon the political will needed to sensibly and pragmatically confront the issues’.3
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2022, Jamaica welcomed the adoption of the declaration and action plan at the 1MSP and reiterated ‘that the TPNW is a strong complement to the NPT and an effective tool to advance our universally shared disarmament goals’.4
Jamaica was one of the co-sponsors for the 2022 UN General Assembly resolution on the TPNW, which called upon ‘all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date.'5
Recommendations
- Jamaica should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the Treaty.
- Jamaica should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative and other necessary measures.