Ghana Ratifies the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

Ghana Ratifies the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

Vienna, 15 June 2011 - The Republic of Ghana has ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), bringing the total number of Treaty ratifications to 154.

“This important and timely step highlights the importance of the CTBT for global, regional and national security”, said Tibor Tóth, the Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO). “Following the entry into force of the Pelindaba Treaty last year, Ghana's ratification of the CTBT further solidifies the resolve of African nations to forever rid the continent and the world of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon testing. I salute the government of Ghana for taking this step and believe it will inspire other non-ratifying States to hasten their own ratification processes."

Ghana signed the CTBT on 3 October 1996 and the Treaty of Pelindaba, which has established a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Africa, on 11 April 1996. Also, in February 2010, Ghana commissioned its CTBT National Data Centre so that it can support international efforts to monitor nuclear weapons testing more effectively.

Adherence to the CTBT is almost universal, with 182 States having signed the Treaty to date. In Africa, only two countries have yet to sign the Treaty (Mauritius and Somalia), whereas 12 countries have yet to ratify (Angola, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Republic of), Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, Swaziland and Zimbabwe). Among these, ratification by Egypt, an Annex 2 State, is mandatory for the Treaty to enter into force. Click here for an interactive map of the Treaty’s status.

The remaining eight Annex 2 States that have yet to ratify are China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States of America. The other 35 Annex 2 States have ratified the Treaty, including the three nuclear weapon States: France, the Russian Federation, and the United Kingdom.

The CTBT bans all nuclear explosions. A verification regime is being built to monitor compliance with the Treaty. By the time the Treaty enters into force, 337 facilities will monitor the oceans, underground and the atmosphere for any sign of a nuclear explosion. 264 facilities have been certified to date and are sending data on a continuous basis to the CTBTO’s International Data Centre in Vienna.

For further information on the CTBTO, please see www.ctbto.org – your resource on ending nuclear testing.

ENDS

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