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Joint Statement by 20 Organisations on the International Day Against Nuclear Tests

The following joint statement, endorsed by WILPF, was organised by SHOAA for Human Rights.

29 August 2025

The Nuclear Legacy Between Algeria and France Is a Shared Responsibility and a Humanitarian and Environmental Priority Beyond Diplomatic Disputes

We, the undersigned organizations, on the occasion of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, 29 August 2025, express our deep concern at the passing of more than six decades since the start of the series of nuclear tests conducted by France in the Algerian Sahara between 1960 and 1966. These included 17 nuclear explosions in addition to 40 subcritical supplementary tests, leaving a heavy legacy of widespread radioactive contamination and resulting in severe health, environmental, and social damage that remains to this day.

These tests left a tragic mark on the lives of thousands of people, with affected areas recording alarming increases in cancer rates, chronic respiratory diseases, and birth defects, alongside the ongoing degradation of natural resources, disruption of livelihoods, and weakening of the social and economic fabric of local communities. They also caused deep psychological scars, exacerbated by the lack of adequate medical care and the absence of transparency regarding the real risks.

Nearly a year has passed since UN Special Rapporteurs sent communications to both the Algerian and French governments on 13 September 2024. We regret that no response has been received to date, reflecting the continued official neglect of a protracted humanitarian and environmental tragedy.

We affirm that more than six decades after this disaster, it cannot be considered outdated or forgotten. The current diplomatic tension between Algeria and France should not serve as a pretext to ignore this issue or to justify inaction. On the contrary, the sensitivity of relations between the two countries should prompt both to place the shared humanitarian interest above any political or circumstantial dispute, and to treat this matter as a fundamentally humanitarian, human rights, and environmental file that cannot be subjected to bargaining or delay. Addressing the legacy of these nuclear tests is a shared historical, moral, and legal responsibility, and justice can only be achieved through genuine, practical steps by both parties, in a spirit of cooperation and transparency, away from political tensions.

Accordingly, we call for the following:

First – From Both the Algerian and French Governments:

1- Open serious discussions between the two governments to make the nuclear testing issue a top priority, addressing it with seriousness and responsibility in light of the environmental, health, and human damage whose effects are still ongoing today.

2- Establish a joint follow-up commission on the consequences of nuclear and other tests on health and the environment, including representatives from both governments, parliamentarians, and victims’ associations, tasked with monitoring the issue, ensuring transparency, and guaranteeing genuine commitment from both parties.

3- Emphasize that this issue must neither fall into oblivion nor be exploited as a tool of pressure in the current context of diplomatic tensions, but rather remain a humanitarian and environmental priority, requiring sincere and responsible cooperation between both sides, beyond narrow political considerations, in order to ensure justice for the victims and safeguard the rights of future generations.

Second – From the French Government:

1- Official and full recognition of the nuclear crimes committed in Algeria, with the acceptance of legal and moral responsibility, the provision of fair and comprehensive compensation to the victims, and the guarantee of their access to appropriate healthcare.

2- Full and immediate disclosure of all documents and maps related to the nuclear tests, including the locations of buried radioactive waste, the delivery of a complete copy of the nuclear archives to Algeria, the cessation of invoking “national security” as a pretext, and ensuring Algeria’s access to accurate information on contaminated areas.

3- Practical measures by France to address the damage caused by nuclear tests, including the decontamination of polluted areas, and the signing and ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as a step reflecting good faith and ensuring truth and justice for affected populations.

Third – From the Algerian Government:

1- Take immediate action to protect public health in affected areas through the development and implementation of a comprehensive national plan to address the environmental and health impacts of the French nuclear tests. This includes launching regular field studies to monitor the health status of affected populations, providing specialized medical support to radiation victims, ensuring the participation of civil society and specialized organizations, and delivering accurate information to local communities about the ongoing risks.

2- Ensure transparency and continuous, serious follow-up of this issue by establishing clear mechanisms and a defined timeline, and by publishing an annual detailed report on the activities of the National Agency for the Rehabilitation of Former Nuclear Test and Explosion Sites in southern Algeria.

3- Proceed with the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), using all legal and diplomatic means to guarantee the rights of victims and facilitate their access to documents and archives related to the nuclear tests, while taking the necessary measures to prevent new victims.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to continue the struggle to ensure justice for the victims, remove the legacy of this disaster, and work together to protect future generations from similar risks. Marking this anniversary each year is not only a moment to remember the tragedy but also to renew the call for recognition of the harm, guarantee justice, and work seriously to remove the consequences of this environmental and humanitarian crime so that such disasters never happen again anywhere in the world.

Organizations signing:

  • SHOAA for Human Rights
  • International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
  • Observatoire des Armements / Centre de Documentation et de Recherche sur la Paix et les Conflits (CDRPC)
  • ICAN France
  • International Peace Bureau
  • UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities
  • Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)
  • Nuclear Truth Project
  • Action on Armed Violence
  • ContrAtom Genève
  • Initiatives pour le désarmement nucléaire (IDN)
  • Peace Studies and International Development, University of Bradford
  • PEAC Institute
  • Pax Christi Vlaanderen
  • Réseau “Sortir du nucléaire”
  • The Norwegian Peace Association
  • Pax for Peace
  • Pax Christi Flanders
  • Mines Action Canada
  • Maghreb Forum For Dialogue