On Tuesday, 27th January, 2026 Ghana hosted the West and Central African Regional Conference on the Universalisation and Implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in Accra.
The Conference which was jointly organised by the Governments of Ghana and Austria, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), brought together government representatives, regional organisations, civil society actors and international partners to deepen cooperation on advancing a nuclear-weapon-free world.
In her opening remarks, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Ambassador Khadija Iddrisu underscored the urgency of strengthening multilateral approaches to global security amid rising geopolitical tensions. She stressed that sustainable security cannot be built on weapons of mass destruction but on cooperation and respect for human life. She highlighted Ghana’s long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament, recalling the country’s historic role under its first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who warned that the existence of nuclear weapons posed “the greatest threat to the survival of mankind.” She noted that Ghana’s unanimous parliamentary ratification of the TPNW in June, 2025 reaffirmed its moral leadership at a time of heightened global insecurity. “The prohibition of nuclear weapons is not only a legal obligation, but a moral imperative owed to future generations,” she said, echoing remarks by the Minister for Foreign Affairs when he was depositing Ghana’s instrument of ratification at the United Nations.
The conference had four (4) thematic sessions examining Africa’s security concerns in the current global context, the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, the provisions and obligations of the TPNW, and pathways toward universalisation and implementation of the Treaty ahead of its First Review Conference later 2026 under South Africa’s presidency.
Speakers at the conference included senior officials from the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), national security institutions, academia, and civil society. Discussions emphasised the catastrophic humanitarian, environmental, and developmental consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and the importance of centring human security in global disarmament efforts.
Delivering remarks on behalf of partner states, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Austrian Embassy in Ghana, Sandra Gintsberger described the Treaty as offering a paradigm shift by
empowering those most affected by nuclear risks. She reaffirmed Africa’s collective rejection of nuclear weapons, noting that while the continent has made significant progress, further ratification was essential to strengthen the Treaty’s impact. She, therefore, urged African States to continue advancing universal adherence to the TPNW, stressing that nuclear weapons do not provide sustainable security but instead represent an existential risk to humanity.
The Acting Coordinating Director for Multilateral and International Organisations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ghana, Ambassador Francis D. Kotia in his closing remarks commended participants for their constructive engagement and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to advancing global disarmament. He noted that the Accra Conference formed part of Ghana’s enduring leadership against weapons of mass destruction and recalled President Nkrumah’s warning to the United Nations that nuclear weapons amounted to “a policy of genocide for the African people.” He further emphasised that West and Central Africa possess both the moral authority and political responsibility to champion a nuclear-weapon-free world, calling on States to translate shared convictions into concrete national action, regional cooperation and active participation in the lead-up to the Review Conference.
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment by participants to strengthen collaboration, support national implementation processes and advance the universalisation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as a cornerstone of global peace and security.
