The United Nations Liaison officer on international campaign to abolish nuclear arms, Mr. Seth Shelden has urged Uganda to hasten the process of ratifying the Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
Mr. Shelden earnestly implored authorities in Kampala to fast-track the process of joining the TPNW, in order to contribute to global stability, as a result of treaty ratification.
The outspoken UN Liaison officer made these remarks while delivering his speech as the guest speaker during the Conference on Uganda and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, organized on Monday at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
The conference was organised under the auspices of Facilitation for Integrated Community Rural Development (FICRD) and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
The high-stakes summit attracted a sizeable number of prolific academicians, legislators, high-end policy makers and government officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Ministry of Defence and Veteran affairs and personnel from the Office of the Prime Minister.
“And you know, at the talk about why Uganda might consider speeding up the process to join, you know, it’s a noble goal, but it’s really more than that. I’d like to make the case that it’s in Uganda’s interest to do it,” Mr. Shelden said, in a message directed at government.
Organisers of the conference sought to leverage constructive discussions and presentations to raise global awareness about the humanitarian consequences of testing and the use of nuclear weapons, in addition to stimulating a global pace of prohibition.
Mr. Shelden elaborated at length that by ratifying the treaty, Uganda will work to actualize momentum in raising a collective voice by treaty members, aimed at extinguishing the ploriferation of nuclear arms, and only promote the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, which he said will heighten global stability.
Serious curbs on the testing and use of nuclear arms, he said, will also work to shield the globe from climate change, which will be very vital in ensuring water, food security and safety.
He remarked that collective efforts to prohibit development, testing and use of nuclear weapons, which among other ways involve ratification to the TPNW will save mankind from ineluctable environmental and other disasters.
Also while speaking to the participants at the conference, Hon. Judith Alyek, the Kole district Woman MP called for the speedy inculcation of knowledge about the TPNW and the applications of nuclear energy in general, to Ugandan legislators.
This, she said will be indispensable in getting these Parliamentarians on board, such that they advocate for a cause whose implications and benefits they have clear knowledge about to avoid making ungrounded discussions.
“We have agreed that members of parliament should be brought on board, especially the committee for defense, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee of health and maybe any other relevant committees that should really be sensitized on the treaty for the abolition of nuclear weapons,”said Hon. Alyek.
Adding:”I think this team will go and meet the Speaker of parliament. And if the speaker gives a way over this, yes, they will petition parliament. So if the speaker allows, members of parliament will be sensitized first on how these things should be carried forward.”
Dr. Livingstone Sewanyana, the Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI) called upon states around the world to rechannel funds that would be used in stockpiling and seeking to develop nuclear arms for deterence, to developmental sectors like agriculture, health and the development of energy infrastructure.
“The issue of ploriferation should be addressed. Once you are in possession of nuclear arms, its not a guarantee that you will not be invaded. Part of the money spent on nuclear weapons could as well be put into health, environment and infrastructural development,” Dr. Sewanyana advised.
Emmanuel Wamala, the assistant commissioner nuclear fuel and radioactive waste, represented Ms. Irene Batebe, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development at the conference.
He noted that the Energy Ministry formulated the nuclear infrastructure review commission, whose mandates among others include the legal framework to work on advising authorities about the need to sign and ratify a number of treaties in the domain of energy like the TPNW.
Mr. Wamala also noted that government of Uganda through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development will be hosting the African Fair Business Platform Conference and Exhibition in March this year at Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, which will bring together all nuclear industry players around the world, to discuss aspects of nuclear proliferation, safety and safeguards.
It should be noted that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is the first globally applicable multilateral agreement to prohibit nuclear weapons comprehensively.
It was adopted at the United Nations in New York on July 7th, 2017 with the support of 122 states including Uganda, and entered into force on January 22nd, 2021.
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