Topic: 2025 – No First Use Policies and Nuclear Disarmament
Country: Central African Republic
Delegate Name: Elisabeth Ver Steeg
Nuclear weapons are indiscriminate and have the power to destroy life as we know it. One
nuclear conflict could mean the end of life for everyone. The nuclear fallout of these weapons can kill anything in its path. Because of these threats, countries and activists have sought to limit the spread and use of nuclear weapons since their first use in conflict. The implementation of No First Use Policies would ease existing tensions between rival nuclear-armed countries, such as the US and Russia. Along with easing the world’s fears on North Korea’s arsenal of nuclear weapons…
The Central African Republic has made strides to enact No First Use Policies. It is a part of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, also known as the Pelindaba Treaty. The treaty prohibits CAR from researching, manufacturing, or stockpiling nuclear weapons. In 2017, the country signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW); however, it has neither ratified nor enforced this legislation. Even though the country has made an effort to disarm nuclear weapons, the country also has a feeble central government and has little ability to enforce such legislation.
Due to CAR’s long history of human rights abuses, the UN Security Council placed an arms
embargo on the country in 2013, which included nuclear arms. The embargo has since been relaxed because the country signed a peace treaty with non-state armed groups within the country in 2019. In 2026, the embargo will be lifted. The country is not likely to be a target of or participate in nuclear warfare, but it is worth noting that the country’s weak infrastructure, food insecurity, and political instability would exacerbate a nuclear conflict. The country would not be able to handle the nuclear fallout, nor the civil unrest of a nuclear attack.
The Central African Republic has limited ability to uphold domestic legislation, but it would be open participating in global treaties addressing the issues. It’s strong ties to Russia could possibly limit the country’s say in the treaties, but that may not matter in relation to the life and death seriousness of the matter.
