Mozambique
In September 2023, the Council of Ministers of Mozambique approved a proposal to submit the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) to the National Assembly for ratification. ‘As this is the last stage of the internal procedures, we are committed to get this step done soon,’ the government said in November of that year.1 In September 2025, the government held a meeting with partners to identify the legal and administrative requirements of ratification.2
TPNW Status
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | No (Signed 2020) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1990) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2008) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 2008, Pelindaba) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2011) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2011) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 2011) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Acceded 2000) | |
| TPNW Art. 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (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) | Voted yes (2025) |
| Participated in 3MSP (2025) | Yes (observer) |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes (observer) |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Yes (observer) |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 3.33 (19%) |
| 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
Mozambique attended the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) 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, Mozambique expressed support for educating future generations about the ‘catastrophic dangers’ of nuclear weapons and welcomed the recognition of the TPNW as ‘a complementary contribution to the NPT’s goals’. ‘These treaties are mutually reinforcing instruments,’ it said.3
In the general debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, the President of Mozambique, Daniel Francisco Chapo, warned that ‘safeguards and principles that have governed global affairs are now at risk’, and ‘the nuclear spectre is returning’.4
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, Mozambique urged all States that have not yet done so to ratify the TPNW. ‘The upcoming First Review Conference under South African chairmanship is a crucial opportunity to restore credibility to multilateral disarmament,’ it said.5
Recommendations
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Mozambique should urgently ratify the TPNW.