Ghana ratifies Treaty of Pelindaba

Ghana has become the 32nd African state to deposit its instrument of ratification with the African Union for the Treaty of Pelindaba. This ratification follows closely on the country's ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty on 14 June 2011.

Source: http://au.int/en/sites/default/files/Pelindaba_Treaty.pdf

Ghana inaugurates radioactive waste storage facility

Accra, September 13 

Ghana News Agency 

Ghana on Monday positioned itself at the frontiers of science and technology in Africa, by taking the lead to expand and refurbish a radioactive waste storage facility to secure the highly toxic material.

The facility, situated on the precinct of Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), was upgraded at the cost of 300,000 dollars made available by the US through its Department of Energy. It would be used as a central storeroom to manage all waste emanating from the utilisation of nuclear technology in Ghana and the Sub-region.

The resource, touted by experts as one of the most high-tech and efficient plant, is the first of its kind to be installed in Africa.

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9th Regional Meeting of African National Authorities Held in Ghana

The Government of the Republic of Ghana and the OPCW co-hosted the meeting from 26 to 28 July 2011 in Accra, with 60 participants from 27 States Parties* present together with a representative of the African Union (AU) Commission.

In her opening statement Ms. Sherry Ayittey, the Minister for Environment, Science and Technology and Chairperson of the National Authority of Ghana, challenged the participants to “seize the opportunity to find common solutions to existing and emerging challenges they are confronted with in their respective jurisdictions.”

H.E. Mrs Grace Asirwatham, Deputy Director-General of the OPCW, noted several positive developments on the African continent in recent years. She said many States Parties in the region have demonstrated a new commitment and revived their efforts to ensure the speedy adoption of national implementing legislation and other obligations – a development partly spurred on, she added, by the OPCW’s Programme to Strengthen Cooperation with Africa. The Programme was launched in 2007, and due to the progress made it has been extended for an additional 3-year period.

In a statement read on its behalf, the AU Commission noted that unlike other forms of weapons of mass destruction, chemical weapons can be more easily produced and are of particular risk in the hands of terrorists. Ensuring their complete elimination therefore requires concerted action at the national, regional, continental and global levels. The Commission welcomed further engagement with the OPCW in line with the AU’s firm commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

In addition to discussing issues related to implementation of the Convention in the region, the meeting serves as a forum for States Parties to exchange information, present their needs for assistance, and indicate which forms of assistance they can offer to other States Parties.

* Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.

Ghana ratifies comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty

New York, United States - Ghana Wednesday became the 154th nation to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, the Vienna-based Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) said. A CTBTO statement, made available to PANA in New York, quoted Tibor Toth, CTBTO's Executive Secretary, as saying that, 'this important and timely step highlights the importance of the CTBTO for global, regional and national security.' Toth stated: 'Following the entry into force of the Pelindaba Treaty last year, Ghana's ratification of the CTBTO further solidifies the resolve of African nations to forever rid the continent and the world of nuclear weapons and nuclear weapon testing. 'I salute the government of Ghana for taking this step and believe it will inspire other non-ratifying states to hasten their own ratification processes,' he noted.

The statement disclosed that Ghana signed the CTBTO on 3 October, 1996, and the Treaty of Pelindaba, which has established a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Africa, on 11 April, 1996.

'Also, in February 2010, Ghana commissioned its CTBTO National Data Centre, so that it can support international efforts to monitor nuclear weapons testing more effectively,' it said.

It also said that, 'adherence to CTBT is almost universal, with 182 states having signed the Treaty to date.'

In Africa, only two countries have yet to sign the Treaty (Mauritius and Somalia), whereas 12 countries have yet to ratify (Angola, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, the Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe, Swaziland and Zimbabwe).

Among these, ratification by Egypt, an Annex 2 State, is mandatory for the Treaty to enter into force.

The remaining eight Annex 2 States that have yet to ratify are China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the US.

The other 35 Annex 2 States have ratified the Treaty, including the three nuclear weapon States: France, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom.

The CTBTO bans all nuclear explosions.

PANA learnt that a verification regime is being built to monitor compliance with the Treaty.

'By the time the Treaty enters into force, 337 facilities will monitor the oceans, underground and the atmosphere for any sign of a nuclear explosion,' the statement noted.

It added that, '264 facilities have been certified to date and are sending data on a continuous basis to the CTBTO’s International Data Centre in Vienna.'

Source: PANA Afrique en ligne