Lesotho
In a statement to the 2021 UN General Assembly's High-Level Plenary Meeting to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the Foreign Minister of Lesotho, Matšepo Ramakoae, hailed the TPNW’s entry into force as an 'important milestone' and 'the pinnacle of worldwide movement to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons'.[1]
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (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 | |
|---|---|
| 2021 UNGA resolution on TPNW | Voted yes |
| 2020 UNGA resolution on TPNW | Voted yes |
| 2019 UNGA resolution on TPNW | Voted yes |
| 2018 UNGA resolution on TPNW | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations | Yes |
| Share of women in TPNW negotiations | 75% |
| Vote on adoption of treaty text | Voted yes |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards Agreement | Yes |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | Yes (Modified) |
| Additional Protocol | Yes |
| Fissile material production facilities | No |
| Highly enriched uranium stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks (mil/civ) | No/No |
| Related treaties and regimes | |
|---|---|
| Party to the BWC | Yes |
| Party to the CWC | Yes |
| Party to the PTBT | No |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes |
| Party to the NPT | Yes |
| Party to a NWFZ | Yes (Pelindaba) |
| Member of the CD | No |
Latest developments
Speaking in the First Committee of the 2021 UN General Assembly, Lesotho said: 'The disarmament and international security landscape has seen some progress recently with the ratification and subsequent entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). However, there is still more that needs to be done particularly by nuclear weapon states in the area of nuclear disarmament.'2
Lesotho was one of the co-sponsors of the 2021 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'.3
Recommendations
- Lesotho should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
- Lesotho should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.