Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands attended as an observer the First Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (1MSP) in Vienna in June 2022. In announcing its decision to participate, the Marshall Islands said that it wanted ‘to see what concrete victim assistance provisions actually come forward by states parties and if they are at scale’.[1]
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 | Not compatible |
| (f) | Seek or receive assistance | Compatible |
| (g) | Allow stationing, installation, deployment | Compatible |
| TPNW voting and participation | |
|---|---|
| UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) | Abstained (2023) |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Observer |
| 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 | No |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1995) |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2009) |
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 2012) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2004) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes (3 May 2005) |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | No |
| Additional Protocol | Yes |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
At the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in August 2022, the Marshall Islands said: ‘There are several nations and peoples in the world who have experienced nuclear weapons directly – and the Marshall Islands stands among them in close solidarity … Our own experience, history and current challenges to nuclear exposure are key drivers for urging progress in reducing – and ultimately eliminating – nuclear risk.’2
In October 2022, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution to address the Marshall Islands’ nuclear legacy.3
Recommendations
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The Marshall Islands should urgently adhere to the TPNW. Until it is in a position to do so, it should welcome the TPNW as a valuable component in the global disarmament and non-proliferation architecture, work with the Treaty's states parties on practical steps towards disarmament, and attend the meetings of states parties as an observer.
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The Marshall Islands should request that the United States cease testing of nuclear-capable missiles at Kwajalein Atoll.