On Friday, January 22, the International Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons entered into force.
This first international document, adopted in more than two decades, is an important step towards a world without nuclear weapons, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Friday in New York, DW writes.
According to him, the treaty has become a powerful demonstration of an international approach to the problem of nuclear disarmament.
The Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, ratified by 51 states, prohibits the development, testing, storage, acquisition, transportation and use of weapons of this type.
The document also provides for assistance, including medical assistance, rehabilitation and psychological support, to all victims under their jurisdiction, writes Voice of America.
It also obliges them to clean up areas known to be contaminated by the use or testing of nuclear weapons.
"The survivors of the nuclear explosions and tests provided tragic testimonies and became the moral force behind the treaty," – Guterres spokesman Stephane Dujarrick said.
Nuclear disarmament remains a top UN priority, the statement said.
The document also notes that the countries of the world must take urgent measures to eliminate such weapons and prevent humanitarian and environmental disasters that may result from their use.
