Nicaragua
Nicaragua is an example to be followed by other States, as it has adhered to all of the seven key treaties in the legal architecture on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in addition to being party to a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ) treaty.
TPNW Status
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | Yes (Ratified 2018) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Ratified 1973) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2000) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 1967, Tlatelolco) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 1976) | |
| AP with the IAEA | Yes (In force 2005) | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 1975) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 1999) | |
| 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 |
| Participated in 2MSP (2023) | Yes |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | Yes |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 1.67 (50%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Did not vote |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Abstained |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Nuclear facilities | No |
| Fissile material production | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
| SQP with the IAEA | Yes (Revised) |
Latest developments
At the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025, Nicaragua described the Treaty as a ‘historic instrument’ and ‘a beacon of hope for the international community in our efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons’. ‘It is essential to continue advancing with the commitment to dismantle nuclear arsenals worldwide until their complete elimination is achieved,’ it said.1
At the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Preparatory Committee meeting in April 2025, Nicaragua emphasized that the TPNW complements the NPT and efforts to implement its Article VI. It called for the TPNW to be universalized. ‘The TPNW establishes a new norm of international law that categorically prohibits these weapons under all circumstances,’ it said. ‘This contributes to the fulfillment of the objectives of the NPT.’2
At a high-level event on 26 September 2025 marking the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Nicaragua said: ‘The very existence of these weapons is an act of violence against humanity, present and future, and an affront to life.’3
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2025, Nicaragua reaffirmed ‘its commitment to general and complete disarmament and the total elimination of nuclear weapons, for the benefit of humanity’. ‘The highest priority remains their definitive prohibition,’ it said.4
Recommendations
-
Nicaragua should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
-
Nicaragua should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.