Latest developments
In the General Debate of the 2020 UN General Assembly, the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, said: 'Given the size and military might of the contenders, we can only imagine and be aghast at the terrible toll on human life and property that shall be inflicted if the “word war” deteriorates into a real war of nuclear weapons and missiles. [...] But no aspiration nor ambition can justify the use of weapons that destroy indiscriminately and completely. There is no excuse for deaths that a nuclear war could cause nor the reckless use of chemical and biological weapons that can cause mass destruction. These weapons of death put us all at mortal risk, especially if they fall in the hands of terrorists without a shred of humanity in their souls. We call on all Member States to fully implement the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and the Chemical and the Biological Weapons Conventions. I have asked the Philippine Senate to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Importantly, we were among those to sign it first.' See: bit.ly/3716FTh.
Recommendations
- The Philippines should encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
- The Philippines should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.
