Topic:
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Delegate Name: Nora Cowen
The destruction and devastation of war have only increased due to nuclear weapons. On a global scale, nuclear weapons have the immense power to completely alter whole societies and obliterate entire populations. 80 years ago, the true combative power of such weapons was shown as over 200,000 people died in the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Combating such destructive weapons can only be done by disarmament those nations that possess nuclear weapons. Currently, the United States, Russian Federation, China, India, United Kingdom, Pakistan, France, Israel, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea all host such weapons. Between these nine nations, 12,700 nuclear warheads are estimated to be in use. Of the 12,700, around 9,400 are in military stockpiles to be used by missiles, aircraft, ships, and submarines. The nations that currently possess nuclear weapons, as well as the five other nations that host weapons for the United States, would be in favour of the continued use of the weapons in order to uphold treaties like NATO. Other nations who oppose the use of nuclear weapons hope that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) goals hold up.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has consistently voted in favour of the annual United Nations General Assembly resolution since 2018 that encouraged the adoption of the TPNW. In 2016, the DRC co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution that established the formal mandate for states to commence negotiations on a legally binding scale towards total elimination. In terms of the TPNW, DRC has heavily encouraged other nations to sign and ratify the document, becoming the 67th nation to do so back in September of 2022. The DRC feels that it “has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment in favour of international peace and security by signing [the TPNW]” and encouraged “all peace-loving countries” to become state parties. In a statement in June 2022, DRC said that Deterrence is a false guarantee of security that keeps the world in the balance of terror, nuclear disarmament is an emergency and is becoming a necessity for our security.”
The Democratic Republic of Congo is highly in favour of the push towards nuclear disarmament. The idea is that nuclear weapons are an issue of international security that do far more harm than good. DRC would like highly upon its trade partners: Zambia, China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Belgium, and South Africa to join with them on the continued disarmament of nuclear weapons. DRC would also look favourably upon nations such as Turkiye, Germany, the United States, and other high-profile nations with access to such weapons to think about peace and work with DRC in order to come to a compromise.
