Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Unofficial transcript
Algeria, Deputy Representative Boualem Chebihi
25 August 2009

Thank you, Mr. President.

First of all, allow me to convey the warm congratulations of the Algerian Delegation and all the members for your accession to the presidency of the Conference on Disarmament and to assure you of our full support in carrying out your mission. I also wish to pay a resounding homage to your predecessor, Ambassador Caroline Millar, for the tireless efforts she made to enable the work of the conference to begin in implementation of the work programme, adopted in May last. Certain members have just taken up their duties at this Conference, we wish them every success in carrying out their task and we welcome them.

Mr. President, at a time when the Conference on Disarmament is continuing with its consultations in order to decide upon the best possible way of envisaging how to tackle its substantive work I wish to refer to the Pelindaba Treaty, which makes of Africa a Nuclear Weapons Free Zone, and which entered into force following the deposit on the 15th of July 2009 of 28 ratification instruments. Algeria is one of the first few member states of the African Union that ratified this treaty. It signed it on the 11th of April 1996, ratified it on the 23rd of December1997 and deposited the instruments of ratification relevant thereto on 11th of April 1998.

We welcome this fortunate development that is taking place 13 years after official opening of this treaty for signature. This treaty, which is an important component of the architecture of the African Union concerning peace and security, prohibits the development, manufacture, stockpiling, acquisition, possession and use of nuclear weapons throughout the African continent and neighboring islands.

With this important stage, Africa is significantly strengthening the concept of a nuclear weapon free zone and is making significant contribution to the international regime at disarmament of non nuclear proliferation. The African continent is thereby reflecting its active commitment to the global combat in order to preserve humanity from the specter of nuclear war, and creating a world which is free of weapons of mass destruction.

In order to guarantee respect for the provisions by non party states, three protocols are annexed to the Treaty, including one which calls upon nuclear weapon states not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against parties to the treaty and against any territory within the zone. We take this opportunity to call upon those countries which has not yet done so, to accede to these protocols. We also encourage the other African signatory states to ratify the Treaty.

The establishment of nuclear weapons free areas, apart from strengthening the regime of nuclear non proliferation, strengthens peace and security in the regions covered, and also enables the states concerned to dedicate their resources to priorities of economic and social development. It is also important to highlight that with the entering into force of a nuclear weapons free area in Africa, it is henceforth the whole of the southern hemisphere that has become free of nuclear weapons.

Algeria cherishes the hope that a nuclear weapons free zone will also be possible to see in the Middle Eastern region. The emergency situation is reaching blight disaster. Make every effort to attain this goal.

Thank you.