The treaty is now expected to enter into force in January 2021. (File)
The United Nations:
An international treaty banning nuclear weapons has been ratified by a 50th country – Honduras – allowing it to enter into force after 90 days, a UN official said on Saturday.
“Today is a victory for humanity and the promise of a more secure future,” said Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a statement.
Other NGOs have also welcomed the news, including the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), a coalition that won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its key role in making the treaty a reality.
“Honduras has just ratified the Treaty as the 50th state, triggering entry into force and making history,” ICAN said in its tweet.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – which prohibits the use, development, production, testing, stationing, stockpiling and threat of use of such weapons – was adopted by the General Assembly of Nations United in July 2017 with the approval of 122 countries.
It is now expected to come into force in January 2021.
The clutch of nuclear weapon states, including the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia, did not sign the treaty.
However, campaigners hope that its entry into force will have the same impact as previous international treaties on landmines and cluster munitions, hampering their storage and use, and thus a change in behavior even in countries that do not. have not signed.
(This story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
