Christian CND has welcomed the 50th Ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which will enter into legal force in January 2021.
Honduras officially joined the Treaty in New York on Saturday 24th October, following Jamaica and Nauru a day earlier.
The Treaty was agreed by the United Nations in July 2017 after negotiations last several months and a campaign of many years. One-hundred-and-twenty-two states voted in favour of the Treaty at the final stage and since then many votes at the United Nations have confirmed the position of the international community in opposing nuclear weapons. The Treaty will ban nuclear weapons on the ground of their humanitarian consequences, in the same way that chemical and biological weapons have previously been banned.
Christian CND said it is proud to have been part of this global movement through its partnership with the International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). ICAN was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for its work on bringing the Treaty about.
David Maxwell, Co-Chair of Christian CND said: “This is a moment of great joy for all who have worked on this Treaty over many years. Many Christians oppose nuclear weapons due to the catastrophic effects of their use not only on humanity but also God’s creation. Our prayer now is that the Treaty will lead the nuclear-armed states to reconsider their positions and engage in meaningful steps towards nuclear disarmament.”
Christians around the world have been working to bring the Treaty into force since it was agreed by the United Nations. The Holy See was one of the first states to join, the Pacific Council of Churches urged states to join, many did so; and the Church of England called on the UK government to respond positively.
Picture: A Dongfeng-41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles group formation is seen on 1st October 2019, during the 70th anniversary celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. (CNS photo/Shen Shi, Reuters).
