Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone ratified the TPNW at a high-level ceremony in the UN headquarter in New York on 24 September 2024, becoming the 17th African state to ratifiy the Treeaty. Timothy Musa Kabba, the minister of foreign affairs and internationa cooperation, deposited the country's instrument of ratification at the ceremony. The Cabinet of Sierra Leone approved ratification of the TPNW in June 2023, and the Treaty was tabled in the Parliament in January 2024.[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) |
| 2MSP delegation size (% women) | 2 (0%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Voted yes |
| Other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) treaties | |
|---|---|
| Party to an NWFZ | No (Signed 1996, Pelindaba) |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1975) |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2001) |
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Ratified 1976) |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Ratified 2004) |
| IAEA safeguards and fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Safeguards agreement | Yes (4 Dec 2009) |
| TPNW Art 3(2) deadline | N/A |
| Small Quantities Protocol | Yes (Modified) |
| Additional Protocol | No (Signed 2022) |
| Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
Latest developments
In the First Committee of the UN General Assembly in October 2023, Sierra Leone noted its recent signature of the TPNW and welcomed the Treaty’s entry into force. It described the TPNW as ‘a complementary instrument to the NPT’ and expressed its hope that it would help to bring an end to the ‘long impasse in multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations’. ‘It is more important now than ever that world leaders speak out against nuclear weapons, and work together to strengthen international legal norms against their development, retention, use and threat f use by any state," it said.2
Sierra Leone observed the Second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW (2MSP) in November and December 2023. ‘As a signatory to the TPNW, we underscore the importance of this historic Treaty in addressing the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons,’ it said. ‘Sierra Leone applauds the collective commitment demonstrated by States parties in taking this bold step towards a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.’ It expressed its firm belief that the complete prohibition of nuclear weapons is ‘essential to attain global peace, security and sustainable development’, and emphasised ‘the moral imperative to prevent the devastating impact of nuclear weapons on humanity and the environment’. It also said that it looked forward ‘to working with all States to support the Treaty’s implementation and universalisation’.3
Sierra Leone 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’.4 In January 2023, Sierra Leone participated in an African regional seminar on universalisation of the TPNW in Pretoria, hosted by the South African foreign ministry.5
Recommendations
-
Sierra Leone should continue to encourage other states to adhere to the TPNW.
-
Sierra Leone should bring into force its Additional Protocol with the IAEA, and upgrade to a modified Small Quantities Protocol.
-
Sierra Leone should ratify the Pelindaba NWFZ Treaty, which it signed in 1996.