By: Hannah Dadzie
Ghana has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to global nuclear disarmament as it hosts the West and Central African Regional Conference on the Universalisation and Implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in Accra.
The high-level conference, jointly organised by the Government of Ghana and Austria in partnership with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), brings together diplomats, policy experts and civil society actors to advance regional adherence to the landmark treaty and strengthen its implementation.
In her opening remarks, Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu, described the gathering as both timely and necessary, against the backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions and the gradual erosion of global arms control norms. She stressed that sustainable security cannot be anchored in weapons of mass destruction, but rather in cooperation, multilateralism and respect for human life. She indicated that the conference sends a strong signal of Africa’s collective resolve to reject nuclear weapons.
Ambassador Iddrisu underscored the relevance of the TPNW to Africa’s peace and security priorities, particularly the African Union’s flagship Silencing the Guns initiative. She said, although Africa does not possess nuclear weapons, the continent has historically suffered the humanitarian and environmental consequences of militarisation and global power rivalries, making nuclear disarmament a core African concern rather than a peripheral one.
She traced Ghana’s leadership on nuclear disarmament to the country’s founding President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who consistently warned of the existential danger posed by nuclear weapons. The Chief Director recalled that Ghana’s hosting of the 1962 World Without the Bomb Conference, remains one of the earliest global efforts to mobilise international action against nuclear arms.
“From the dawn of our independence, Ghana’s commitment to nuclear disarmament has been longstanding and resolute. Our first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was among the earliest global voices to warn of the existential dangers posed by nuclear weapons.” She said
That legacy, she said, continues to inform Ghana’s foreign policy today. Ghana ratified the TPNW unanimously in Parliament in June 2025 and formally deposited its instrument of ratification at the United Nations later that year, reinforcing its role as a moral voice for disarmament at a time of heightened global insecurity.
Quoting Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ambassador Iddrisu noted that the prohibition of nuclear weapons is not merely a legal obligation but a moral duty owed to future generations, stressing that true security lies in preserving life and dignity rather than threatening annihilation. She further highlighted Africa’s normative leadership in global disarmament through instruments such as the Treaty of Pelindaba, which established Africa as a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, and renewed calls for credible and legally binding negative security assurances for non-nuclear-weapon states.
Chairperson of Conference, who is the Head of Mission of the Austrian Embassy to Ghana, Ambassador Jürgen Heissel, praised Ghana’s cooperation and commitment to advancing the TPNW across the continent. He described the treaty as a rare example of effective multilateral cooperation at a time when international law is increasingly under strain.
He said Austria remains a consistent advocate of multilateralism and the rule of law, and is working closely with partners to ensure broader adherence to the treaty, particularly among states in the Global South.
“I hope that this meeting will provide further impetus to join forces to make progress towards nuclear disarmament, to strengthen our collective security and our multilateral architecture. This is what Austria, the long-standing and consistent champion of multilateralism and the rule of law stands for, and will also champion if elected into the UN Security Council on the 3rd of June.” Ambassador Heissel stated
Director and Deputy to the High Representative for the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, Ebo Adedeji, reminded participants that Africa’s moral authority on disarmament stems from its collective rejection of nuclear weapons under the Treaty of Pelindaba. He noted that while Africa does not possess nuclear arsenals, it is not insulated from nuclear risks, citing historical nuclear tests in the Sahara and the global consequences any nuclear detonation would trigger.
Dr. Adedeji emphasised that the conference goes beyond dialogue, serving as a practical platform to support states in fulfilling their obligations under the TPNW, including victim assistance, environmental remediation and sustained engagement with non-party states.
“This regional conference is not merely a talk show, nor is it a platform to simply lament the risks of nuclear weapons. Under Article 12 of the TPNW, state parties must encourage other states that are not party to the treaty to ratify, to accept, to approve and to accede to the treaty, with the goal of universal adherence of all states to the treaty.” Dr. Adedeji indicated
Representing civil society, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy at the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Ms. Celine Nahory, described Ghana’s hosting of the conference as both symbolic and strategic. She congratulated the Government and people of Ghana on their recent ratification of the Treaty, noting that while Ghana is the latest African state to join the TPNW, it has played a central role in advancing the treaty since its inception.
Ms. Nahory warned that the urgency of nuclear disarmament has intensified amid growing global instability, stressing that nuclear weapons continue to pose an existential threat to humanity. She pointed out that the continued existence of more than 12,000 nuclear weapons globally represents an unacceptable risk, particularly to regions that have chosen peace over militarisation.
According to her, Africa’s collective rejection of nuclear weapons under the Treaty of Pelindaba gives the continent both the authority and responsibility to lead calls for universal nuclear abolition.
Ms. Nahory further urged African states that have not yet acceded to the TPNW to use the Accra conference as a turning point, especially ahead of the treaty’s next global conference under South Africa’s presidency. She stressed that every new signature and ratification strengthens international law, reduces the risk of nuclear catastrophe and helps dismantle what she described as an unfair global system that allows a few states to endanger the rest of the world.
As deliberations continue, Ghana has reiterated its readiness to work with regional and international partners to advance a nuclear-weapon-free world, positioning Africa not only as a zone of peace, but as a global champion of disarmament and human security.
