Senator Johnson Smith Reaffirms Jamaica’s Commitment to Nuclear Disarmament

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, has reaffirmed Jamaica’s commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

She declared the country’s rejection of the doctrine of nuclear deterrence, emphasising the catastrophic impact of any nuclear conflict.

“No country, regardless of size or geographic location, would be spared the catastrophic and devastating impact of a military confrontation involving the use of these weapons,” she said.

Senator Johnson Smith was addressing the opening ceremony of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) Course on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in the Caribbean on Wednesday (October 7) at the Ministry’s downtown Kingston offices.

The three-day course is being staged in the Caribbean for the first time, bringing together diplomats, government officials, and other professionals to strengthen regional expertise, reinforce the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Tlatelolco), and support global nuclear non-proliferation efforts.

Minister Johnson Smith said that Jamaica is pleased to partner with OPANAL to host the 15th edition of the course, and for the first in the English language and in the Caribbean, since the agency’s inception in 2017.

She noted that the training, which forms part of the Tlatelolco Treaty, represents a landmark achievement in the history of nuclear disarmament. Jamaica became a State party to the Treaty in 1969.

Senator Johnson Smith pointed out that for nearly six decades, OPANAL has undertaken tireless work to ensure that Latin America and the Caribbean continue to be free of nuclear weapons and remain a zone of peace.

“Jamaica is proud to be a part of a region that has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation,” she said.

“By establishing our hemisphere as the world’s first weapon-free zone, in a densely populated region, the Treaty demonstrates that regional cooperation, political commitment and collective resolve can make tangible contributions to international peace and security,” she added.

The Minister stated that the work of OPANAL in safeguarding and advancing the objectives of the Treaty remains highly significant.

“Through its engagement with State parties and initiatives such as this course, the OPANAL Secretariat continues to strengthen knowledge and to build capacity throughout our region,” she said, noting that Jamaica recognises the value of this work.

Over the three days, participants from Jamaica and across the region will be examining the Treaty of Tlatelolco, the wider international disarmament and non-proliferation framework, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and the role of gender and youth in disarmament.

They will visit the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Sciences (ICENS) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, to learn first-hand about the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology in Jamaica.

The sessions will include discussions on the topic: Origin of Nuclear Weapons; Treaty of Tlatelolco: History, International Context, and Continued Relevance; Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Regime and the Challenges of Proliferation; Nuclear Weapon Free Zones: History, Existing and Future Zones.