Nepal
In 2023, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs sought input from other government ministries and agencies as it prepared the necessary documentation fo a decision by the Council of Ministers to submit the TPNW to the Federal Parliament for ratification. In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2023, Nepal said that the TPNW ‘complements and bolsters the objective of general and complete disarmament’, and it is ‘committed to ratifying it at the earliest possible’.[1]
TPNW Status
| TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compliance in 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| (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 2MSP (2023) | Yes (observer) |
| 1MSP delegation size (% women) | 4 (25%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Did not vote |
| Other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) treaties | |
|---|---|
| Party to an NWFZ | No |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1970) |
| Ratified the CTBT | No (Signed 1996) |
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 2016) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 1997) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes (22 Jun 1972) |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | Yes (Original) |
| Additional Protocol | No |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
Nepal observed the Second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (2MSP) in November and December 2023, where it described the Treaty as ‘a beacon of hope’. ‘It is a testament to our collective resolve to banish the spectre of nuclear devastation that has loomed over humanity for far too long. Effective implementation of the Treaty is critical to achieving our shared vision of a nuclear-weapon-free world.’ Nepal expressed its ‘unwavering commitment to the goals and obligations of the Treaty’, as well as its determination to ratify it as soon as possible. ‘We reiterate our support for the universalisation of the Treaty and urge all to make universalisation efforts a priority.’ 2
Nepal was one of the co-sponsors for the 2023 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
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Nepal should urgently ratify the TPNW.
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Nepal should conclude and bring into force an Additional Protocol with the IAEA, and upgrade to a modified Small Quantities Protocol.
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Nepal should also ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT).