Mongolia has become the 57th state to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons – confirming the move at the United Nations in New York last week.
Mongolia has been a long-standing champion of nuclear disarmament and an important voice on the issue, sharing boarders with nuclear-armed Russia and China. In an address to the UN General Assembly this September, Mongolia said that the TPNW’s entry into force “set a milestone in the international efforts in banning these disastrous weapons”. It added that the treaty will be “instrumental” in eliminating nuclear weapons.
The Treaty entered into force amid global celebration on Friday 22 January 2021 meaning nuclear weapons are now banned under international law in the same way as chemical and biological weapons have been previously banned. During the recent meeting of the United Nations General Assembly many world leaders voiced their support for the Treaty.
Mongolia has joined the Treaty in time to participate in the First Meeting of States Parties, which will take place in Vienna in March 2022. Joining those states who have ratified the Treaty will be Germany and Norway, attending as observers. Christian CND is joining other organisations in calling on the UK to also attend the meeting as an observer.
More ratifications are expected in the coming weeks. Christian CND welcomes the ratification of Mongolia and thanks God for all those who have worked so hard to make this happen. We continue to pray that more states would join the Treaty and that the nuclear-armed states would also engage with the Treaty to bring about a nuclear weapons-free world.
