Solomon Islands
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Solomon Islands, Peter Shanel Agovaka, signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) at a high-level ceremony in New York on 24 September 2024 and deposited his country’s instrument of ratification with the UN Secretary-General at the same time.1 The government said that its decision to sign and ratify the TPNW ‘demonstrates its commitment to global efforts towards total elimination of nuclear weapons’.2
TPNW Status
| Key weapons of mass destruction treaties | ||
|---|---|---|
| NUCLEAR WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the TPNW | Yes (Ratified 2024) | |
| Party to the NPT | Yes (Acceded 1981) | |
| Ratified the CTBT | Yes (Ratified 2023) | |
| Party to an NWFZ | Yes (Ratified 1987, Rarotonga) | |
| CSA with the IAEA | Yes (In force 1993) | |
| AP with the IAEA | No | |
| BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS | ||
| Party to the BWC | Yes (Acceded 1981) | |
| Party to the CWC | Yes (Acceded 2004) | |
| 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) | No |
| Participated in 1MSP (2022) | No |
| Average MSP delegation size (% women) | 2 (50%) |
| Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) | Voted yes |
| Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) | Yes |
| Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) | Did not vote |
| Fissile material | |
|---|---|
| Nuclear facilities | No |
| Fissile material production | No |
| HEU stocks | No |
| Plutonium stocks | No |
| SQP with the IAEA | Yes (Original) |
Latest developments
At the Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in March 2025, the Solomon Islands reaffirmed its ‘unwavering commitment to the Treaty’s noble objective: achieving a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons’. ‘As a Pacific nation with a deep-rooted commitment to peace and disarmament, we take pride in having ratified the TPNW, aligning ourselves with the growing community of States that recognize the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and the urgent need for their total prohibition,’ it said.3
It called upon all States, particularly those possessing nuclear weapons, to join the TPNW and commit to ‘the complete elimination of these instruments of destruction’. ‘The ongoing modernization of nuclear arsenals and the rising risk of nuclear conflict are deeply troubling trends that highlight the critical importance of the TPNW and the necessity of its full and effective implementation,’ it said.
Speaking at a high-level event on 26 September 2025 to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of the Solomon Islands, Peter Shanel Agovaka, noted that his country had ratified the TPNW. ‘We remain committed to working with everyone in eliminating nuclear weapons and creating a better world for our children,’ he said.4
In the general debate of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in September 2025, the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, reaffirmed his country’s commitment for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. ‘The Pacific has been used to test weapons, store nuclear waste and discharge treated nuclear water. We see the scars of nuclear impacts and will remain the world’s strongest advocates for a world free of nuclear weapons,’ he said.5
The Solomon Islands co-sponsored the 2025 UN General Assembly resolution on the TPNW, which welcomed the Treaty’s entry into force and 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’.6
In accordance with Article 2 of the TPNW, the Solomon Islands submitted a declaration to the UN Secretary-General on 9 January 2025 confirming that it does not own, possess, or control nuclear weapons, has never done so, and does not host any other State’s nuclear weapons on its territory.7
Recommendations
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The Solomon Islands should continue to encourage other states to urgently adhere to the TPNW.
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The Solomon Islands should ensure that all the TPNW obligations are implemented domestically, through legal, administrative, and other necessary measures.
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The Solomon Islands should conclude and bring into force an Additional Protocol (AP) with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and upgrade to a modified Small Quantities Protocol (SQP)