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The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has strongly repeated that it is very important to ban nuclear weapons testing, use, and spread. They said this is more urgent now than ever before.
At a meeting held on April 3 in Jamaica, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General Elizabeth Solomon spoke about the dangers of nuclear weapons today. She said this is a time of fast climate change and some countries still have or control nuclear weapons.
She said using nuclear weapons would go against everything CARICOM stands for. The Caribbean wants to stay a “Zone of Peace,” and the Treaty helps support that goal.
Ms. Solomon also said CARICOM is firmly against moving nuclear waste through the Caribbean Sea. She warned that a nuclear accident could hurt the environment and economy of the Region.
Besides stopping nuclear weapons, Ms. Solomon pointed out other benefits of the Treaty. It gives useful scientific data, such as earthquake information and tsunami warnings. These tools can help Caribbean countries that often face natural disasters.
She said the Caribbean should copy successful tsunami warning systems already used in Chile, Honduras, and Venezuela.
She welcomed the return of the CTBTO (the group behind the Treaty) to the Region. Past events in Antigua and Jamaica helped many Caribbean countries sign the Treaty.
Ms. Solomon praised the fact that every CARICOM country has now signed the Treaty. This shows the Region’s strong support for getting rid of nuclear weapons.
Finally, she mentioned the challenges that small island countries face. She welcomed a new program called NDCs4All, which helps these countries build the skills and systems they need to follow the Treaty.
There are no known nuclear weapons currently stationed in the Caribbean by Caribbean nations themselves. However, there are a few areas of concern, mainly involving transit routes, foreign military presence, and proximity to global powers:
The entire region is part of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone under the Treaty of Tlatelolco (1967). This bans nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean.
All CARICOM countries have signed and ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
CARICOM opposes the transshipment of nuclear waste through the Caribbean Sea. In the past, ships carrying radioactive waste from Europe to Japan passed close to or through the region, drawing protests from Caribbean nations.
A nuclear accident at sea could contaminate marine ecosystems and damage tourism and fisheries—key industries for small island economies.
U.S., U.K., or French naval vessels that are nuclear-capable or nuclear powered sometimes pass through the region or dock in allied ports. These may carry nuclear weapons.
Source: CARICOM.
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