Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has hailed a UN treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons as "groundbreaking" as he participated in an official signing ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday.
The treaty which was backed by 122 countries, but not by nuclear powers including the United States, Britain and France, outlaws the use of nuclear weapons. The resolution was co-sponsored by Ireland, together with Austria, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa, and is the culmination of years of negotiations between UN members and civil society groups.
“Ireland is proud to have played a leadership role, together with Austria, Brazil, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa, in negotiating this ground-breaking treaty, which represents the successful outcome of the first multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations in over 20 years,” Mr Coveney said in New York.
Speaking at the treaty signing ceremony, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres hailed the treaty as an important step in abolishing nuclear weapons. "There remain some fifteen thousand nuclear weapons in existence. We cannot allow these doomsday weapons to endanger our world and our children's future," he said.
But the world's leading nuclear powers and Nato members which include most EU countries, effectively boycotted the negotiations.
In a statement issued after the signing, Nato strongly condemned the treaty. “Seeking to ban nuclear weapons through a treaty that will not engage any state actually possessing nuclear weapons will not be effective, will not reduce nuclear arsenals, and will neither enhance any country’s security, nor international peace and stability.”
Ireland is one of over 190 countries represented at this week’s general assembly, with Mr Coveney due to address the assembly on Saturday.
Security council seat
With Ireland hoping to secure one of the rotating seats on the 15-member UN security council in 2021 and 2022, much of the focus this week is on putting forward Ireland’s case to other national delegations ahead of the vote in late 2020.
Ireland is facing competition from Canada and Norway for two of three seats.
“We value the opportunity to be on the security council as a small country that wants to impact world affairs. Ireland has twice sat on the council and brought a real focus and emphasis on human rights, particularly post 911,” Mr Coveney said.
He said that while Ireland faces tough competition from Canada and Norway, Ireland has unique selling points including its status as a small EU country with a strong UN record, particularly in the field of peace-keeping and conflict resolution.
“Ireland is a small country that punches above its weight on issues that I think are directly relevant to the UN,” he said. “It means that we are taken seriously on a lot of issues.”
Mr Coveney, who is attending his first UN meeting since his appointment as Minister for Foreign Affairs, said he supported this week’s US-led discussion on reforming the UN, though that conversation was only beginning.
“We can only solve global problems through multilateral institutions such as the UN. The idea that big generational issues like hunger, climate change, etc can be solved by an America First, or a Britain first, or a China first policy is not going to happen. What is required is that, through an organisation like the UN, we embrace the ambitions of small country and big countries together.”
However he added. “We do think the UN needs to be renewed – to change and modernise. For example, there is no voice for Africa on the UN security council. In our view that’s a huge omission.”
While Ireland “cannot be at the centre of every debate,” he said that as Minister of Foreign Affairs he would continue to focus on the challenges facing Africa, and the importance of reaching a two-state solution in the Middle East.
