Accra, 06, June, GNA – Dr Robert Floyd, the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), has expressed satisfaction at Africa’s commitment towards ensuring a safer world rid of nuclear dangers from weapon testing.
He said it was heartwarming that presently, 187 out of 196 States had signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, leaving just nine more made up of the United States of America, Russia, China and six other countries yet to sign.
Nevertheless, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty (CTBT), which bans all nuclear explosions, whether for military or peaceful purposes, had been highly successful in reducing the previously huge number of weapon testing of over 2,000 around 1945, to six since 1996 in this century, which were mainly done by North Korea.
Again, 178 States including Ghana had ratified the treaty together with almost all other African counterparts to signify their full support to the nuclear test ban globally, which was commendable.
Dr Floyd recounted the harrowing Hiroshima nuclear weapon test experience in 1945 that left behind gruesome images and the sharp rise in those blasts to about 60,000 tests around the early 1980s, which were frustrating for global peace and security.
He said 79 years after Hiroshima, “nuclear weapons are still with us. The policy and moral dilemmas are still with us, and the legacy of those nuclear weapon tests are still with us”.
Dr Floyd was delivering a public lecture on the “Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty and its relevance to the global security architecture,” at Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences of the University of Ghana Atomic campus, organised by the National Nuclear Research Institute (NNRI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), to mark its 60th anniversary celebrations.
The lecture targeted policymakers, academics, security services and the public to provide insights into the CTBTO’s mission and the significance of the Treaty to global security.
He said while on a working tour of some African countries, he deemed it impressive that Ghana had progressed in its commitment towards the CTBTO course, citing the lecture as a great opportunity for him to share knowledge on the mission and progress made by the Organisation.
He explained that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban-Treaty (CTBT) comprising of a preamble, 17 articles, two annexes and a Protocol with two annexes, was established to ensure that States which signed and ratified it, refrained from conducting nuclear explosions, including weapons tests.
He gave highlights on progress made by the CTBTO on the treaty which included the successes of a comprehensive support by majority of countries globally and most importantly the nearly all African countries.
He also spoke about the CTBTO’s International Smart Monitoring System as a key breakthrough technology and wonder of the scientific world, which allowed scientists and researchers globally to effectively monitor and collect data on various activities on the earth and beyond.
The Smart technology, he said, was a huge contribution to global knowledge, security and transparency and the wide range of data collected included nuclear weapon testing, volcanic eruptions, remote marine communications from nature and animals, locating lost submarines, new life species, sporting and giving alerts on dangerous asteroids and natural disasters like earthquake as well as tsunamis, to save lives.
“That is why we are confident that no nuclear weapon tests can now be done in hiding, because the powerful technology will expose such an activity even in the remotest part of the universe,” he said.
Dr Floyd said the treaty would be legalised shortly, to allow for all its good qualities to be enforced for a peaceful and more secure world.
He urged all countries to remain committed to the course of global peace and security which was at the heart of the CTBTO and support the treaty.
Professor Samuel Boakye Dampare, the Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), said Ghana had been a signatory to the CTBT since October 3rd, 1996, becoming the 154th country to ratify the treaty.
He said presently it had established a CTBT National Data Centre (NDC) at GAEC, which played a crucial role in supporting international efforts to monitor nuclear weapon test explosions worldwide.
Prof Dampare stated that Dr Floyd’s visit to Africa and Ghana particularly, underscored the importance of international cooperation in the fight against nuclear proliferation and highlighted Ghana’s active role in promoting global peace and security through adherence to the CTBT.
He gave an assurance, wiping all doubts that the country could ever engage in any nuclear weapon testing.
The Director-General also gave highlights on GAEC’s activities, especially in the peaceful application of nuclear technology for industrial, education, health purposes, and currently in the exploration of electricity generation.
He said GEAC had been participating in the CTBTO’s trainings and tapping into the various technologies like the Smart systems to improve lives and ensure sustainable national development.
GNA