ICAN's thoughts on the current situation

Posted: 10th May 2018

Yesterday, the world saw some real highs & lows in the fight for nuclear disarmament: on the same day that nuclear-ban champion Austria ratified the treaty, Donald Trump announced that the US will unilaterally withdraw from the Iran Deal. The main takeaway: leadership on diplomacy and disarmament is about making agreements and treaties, not about ripping them up.
 

 
Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran deal not only blows up a functioning agreement, it also deals a significant blow to US credibility as a partner in contract & diplomacy during a time when North Korea will no doubt be watching. By decertifying the Iran deal, President Trump has moved the doomsday clock closer to midnight, and could put us all under greater threat of war and nuclear weapons use.

And yet, there is hope, because we have a pathway to creating a safer world without nuclear weapons, and more and more countries are treading it. What’s more, some countries are showing what it really looks like to be a leader on nuclear disarmament.
 
Yesterday morning, my colleague Tim and I were in the room as Austria became the 9th country to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It was an exciting and gratifying moment, as Austria has been one of the key drivers and consistent champions for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons since its inception. This early ratification of the TPNW demonstrates that Austria intends to continue to take a leading role in the implementation of the treaty and promoting its universalization. In a time where some chose to walk away from diplomacy, I’m profoundly grateful for that leadership.
 

 
And Austria is not alone. Its ratification came only days after Palau became the first Pacific island country to join the treaty. Palau has been another long time champion of the treaty; it was among the first states to propose that the TPNW include provisions for victim assistance and environmental remediation, and its anti-nuclear stance is enshrined in its national constitution. And we’re expecting more ratifications to come in the coming weeks, putting us on a straightforward path to the 50 ratifications needed for entry into force.
 
So what’s next? Yesterday’s events show once again that the only way to stop nuclear proliferation is for all states to unconditionally reject nuclear weapons and join the treaty. That is why campaigners all around the world are working tirelessly to get their governments on board and create a pathway to complete nuclear disarmament. We will keep supporting them in every way we can. Keep an eye out for some exciting announcements about the allocation to that purpose of our 1000 Day Fund - made possible by the Nobel Peace Prize prize money, and thousands of generous donors – in the coming weeks.
 Find out more and contribute to the 1000 Day Fund