Philippines

At the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Plenary Meeting to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on 26 September 2019, the Philippines made the following statement: “While we see the importance of building trust and confidence, particularly among nuclear weapons states, we believe that we should proceed with the pursuit of disarmament without delay to honor our commitments under the NPT. The Philippines is a signatory to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a landmark agreement that fortifies the nuclear disarmament architecture. This treaty represents the universalisation of the Philippines’ hope for the elimination of nuclear weapons in line with the specific provision of our constitution and the treaty on the Southeast Asia nuclear-weapons-free zone. The treaty also fulfils the goals set out in the NPT. It delegitimises once and for all the use of nuclear weapons.” (bit.ly/2obwUU6)

• The Philippines should urgently ratify the TPNW, and encourage other states to adhere to the Treaty.