CTBT Ministerial Meetings
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at the 2014 Ministerial Meeting, 26 September 2014 - UN, New York
Ministerial Meetings to promote entry into force
In the years between the Article XIV Conferences, Foreign Ministers of CTBT Member States particularly dedicated to entry into force of the CTBT meet on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in September. The aim of these meetings is to sustain and generate further political momentum as well as public attention for the entry into force of the Treaty. To that end, the Ministers adopt and sign Joint Ministerial Statements that are open for adherence by other countries.
"Although the Treaty is yet to enter into force, the nuclear test moratorium has become a de facto international norm. However, without the lasting and legally-binding effect of entry into force of the Treaty, such a norm remains fragile."
An initiative by Japan, Australia and the Netherlands
The initiative for these meetings was taken by Japan in cooperation with Australia and the Netherlands, who organized the first “Friends of the CTBT” Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2002. Today, the group also includes Canada, Germany and Finland.
Continuously increasing support
The meetings are open to all ratifying states, while State Signatories and non-signatories can participate as observers. Like the Article XIV Conferences, the CTBT Ministerial Meetings enjoy increasing political support: while 50 countries had associated themselves with the Joint Statement in 2002, this number increased to 72 in 2006, and 90 in 2014.
