APA-Pretoria (South Africa) International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor addressed the High-Level Segment of the 2024 Conference on Disarmament in Geneva on Tuesday, highlighting South Africa’s commitment to nuclear security and disarmament against the backdrop of a precarious international environment.
The conference took place against a backdrop of sharp divisions, rising conflict, military confrontation, and the deterioration of global peace and security.
Pandor lamented the widespread destruction of lives and livelihoods, with innocent civilians, including women and children, becoming primary victims in Gaza and other global hotspots.
“South Africa believes that the Conference on Disarmament, as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community, can and should execute its responsibility by addressing prevailing realities which threaten global peace and security,” Pandor said.
In a significant move, Pandor announced that South Africa handed over its Instrument of Acceptance of the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material at a ceremony held at the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday.
“This is a demonstration of my country’s unwavering commitment to nuclear security and the protection of nuclear material while continuing to support broader efforts to promote nuclear disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation and the inalienable right of States to develop and use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,” the minister said.
South Africa signed the original convention in May 1981 and ratified it in September 2007.
Pandor emphasized the catastrophic consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and called for their total elimination.
She urged all countries with nuclear weapons to work towards this goal urgently and called on other states under the nuclear umbrella and those that are part of nuclear alliances to refrain from giving value to these weapons.
“The grave geopolitical situation and growing global insecurity and instability must be addressed urgently,” Pandor added, highlighting the need for concerted international efforts to restore global peace and security.
JN/APA