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On Saturday, the 75th anniversary of the UN, Honduras became the 50th country to ratify the agreement, according to the International Campaign to Ban Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
But when the treaty enters into force on January 22, no NATO country will participate in the celebration, not even Norway.
The Red Cross believes that Norway can unite, despite allied countries like the United States, France and the United Kingdom having nuclear weapons.
– Some have argued that Norway’s adherence to the UN ban on nuclear weapons is contrary to Norway’s obligations to NATO. We think that is wrong. There is considerable political and humanitarian leeway in NATO, says Secretary General Bernt G. Apeland of the Red Cross in Norway.
It notes that Norway has said no to the deployment of nuclear weapons on Norwegian soil, and that the country has been a driving force in the ban on landmines and cluster munitions.
– We must not build obligations as an excuse for not acting. For Norway to remain a credible champion of disarmament, we must also ratify the agreement. It’s about political will, Apeland says.
Shaken by mysterious events
Without China and Russia
The nuclear powers China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea will also not support the ban.
All states that have signed the agreement will be legally bound by the prohibitions and obligations of the prohibition treaty. The prohibition of nuclear weapons is one of the oldest objectives of the UN. An overwhelming majority of the world’s states adopted the United Nations ban on nuclear weapons in 2017. 122 countries participated in the agreement.
UN Secretary General António Guterres describes Saturday’s milestone as historic.
– This represents a significant commitment to the total eradication of nuclear weapons, which for the UN is the most important disarmament, he says.
The nuclear ban is one of the oldest goals of the UN. An overwhelming majority of the world’s states adopted the United Nations ban on nuclear weapons in 2017. 122 countries participated in the agreement.
He accuses the former party profile of propaganda
Waiting for a change
ICAN hopes that the ban on nuclear weapons will create pressure that will eventually lead to more countries signing and ratifying the agreement. This has been the case in previous treaties against landmines and cluster munitions.
– We have seen before that companies stop producing weapons that are prohibited and that financial institutions withdraw their investments from the industry, says Tuva Widskjold at ICAN Norway.
It points out that that process has already started with regard to nuclear weapons.
– Big banks and pension funds excluded nuclear weapons from their investment portfolio after the UN adopted the ban in 2017, he says.
SV: Flaut Norway is out
SV is happy that Honduras signed on what was the 75th anniversary of the UN.
– It is great that nuclear weapons are now banned, but it is shameful that it happens without the support of Norway. I strongly urge the government and the Labor Party to turn around and be inspired by this historic moment of peace and disarmament. Norway must not end up on the wrong side of history, says SV leader Audun Lysbakken.
– Expect some kind of Cold War
Norwegian People’s Aid believes that the ban creates an entirely new dynamic in international disarmament work, and that work to get more states to sign the ban begins now.
– This is a clear and distinct expression that the majority of the world’s states no longer accept threats of mass murder of civilians being used as a defense strategy, and Norway shouldn’t accept it either, says Norwegian People’s Secretary General Henriette Westhrin Aid.
Hiroshima
In August, it marked 75 years since the United States dropped its atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Several countries ratified in the months after the nuclear ban, including Nigeria, Malaysia, Ireland, Malta and Tuvalu.
Thailand, Mexico, South Africa, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Vietnam and the Vatican are among the countries that have already ratified the treaty.
