Minister for Foreign and European Affairs Evarist Bartolo signed the Instrument of Ratification for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
The instrument was deposited on 21st September 2020 at the United Nations in New York by Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, Permanent Representative of Malta to the United Nations in New York, in a commemorative occasion during which the United Nations celebrated its 75th Anniversary and the International Day of Peace.
In so doing, Malta becomes one of the first 50 states to ratify the treaty which is the minimum number of signatures and ratifications required for the treaty to enter into force.
The ratification of the treaty also comes on a significant day for the Maltese nation as the 21st of September marks Malta’s Independence Day.
This development follows rapidly on Malta’s signing of the treaty on the 24th of August 2020, whereby Malta proudly became the 84th UN member state to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Amongst other things, the treaty has the ambition to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons which is also a guiding principle of Malta’s foreign policy.
The ratification of this treaty stands in testimony to Malta’s unwavering commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and global disarmament that remain crucial to securing a safer future for all and for future generations.
