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August 29: International Day Against Nuclear Tests

Ugo Chinedu

CNN

  Since the advent of tests of nuclear weapons on July 16, 1945, about 2,000 nuclear tests have been carried out with little consideration as regards its effect on the existence of human beings. Nuclear weapons which are highly powerful and destructive on human life especially when testing go awry exists among us today. Without a doubt, the existence of nuclear weapons is a major threat to global peace and security especially due to the dangers associated with nuclear fallouts during atmospheric tests. In a bid to educate the globe on the destructive power of nuclear weapons, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 64/35 during its 64th session on December 2, 2009, declaring August 29 of every year as the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
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The resolution which established August 29 as International Day against Nuclear Tests outlined creating improved awareness and education of the globe “about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.” Initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan alongside numerous sponsors and cosponsors, the resolution aimed at commemorating the August 29, 1991 closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site. August 29, 2010, marked the first observance of the International Day against Nuclear Tests. Annually, the day is observed throughout the globe with programmes such as conferences, exhibitions, symposia, publications, competitions, lectures, media broadcasts and a lot more initiatives, all geared towards seeing to the advancement of the course against nuclear weapons. However, since the establishment of August 29, numerous bilateral and multilateral governmental organizations, as well as civil society groups, have promoted the course against the advancement of nuclear weapons.
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“The nuclear menace is once again on the rise. A complete ban on nuclear testing is an essential step in preventing the qualitative and quantitative improvement of nuclear weapons and in achieving nuclear disarmament.” António Guterres
It is important to note that the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CNTBT) is the international instrument responsible for the cessation of all nuclear testing activities around the globe. Sadly, CTBT is not fully into force because states with significant nuclear capabilities have failed to verify it despite the fact that 184 countries are signatory to the treaty, while 168 nations have already done the verification. To have a nuclear-free world, all hands must be on deck to ensure the preservation of the place of the CTBT in the global architecture. Source: UN Featured Image Source: CNN
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