KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has renewed its call for the prohibition of nuclear weapons testing, use, and proliferation, stressing that this goal is more urgent now than ever before.
CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Foreign and Community Relations, Ms. Elizabeth Solomon.Speaking at a regional workshop under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) framework in Jamaica, CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Foreign and Community Relations, Elizabeth Solomon, warned of heightened nuclear risks in a century already defined by accelerating climate change and nuclear capability among certain states.
Describing the use of nuclear weapons as an “anathema” to CARICOM, she underscored the Region’s unwavering commitment to preserving its “Zone of Peace” status.
“We have retained and continue to do everything in our individual and collective power to maintain this Region as a Zone of Peace,” she said. She emphasized the importance of the CTBT in reinforcing international norms against nuclear testing, which in turn strengthens the Region’s peaceful standing.
Solomon also voiced strong opposition to the transshipment of nuclear waste through the Caribbean Sea, citing its potential impact on the region’s fragile ecosystems and economies.
“We take a strong stance against the transshipment of nuclear waste because of the possible negative effects of a nuclear accident on the delicate land and sea ecosystems of the Caribbean,” she stated.
Beyond disarmament, Solomon highlighted the civil and scientific value of data provided by the CTBTO (Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization), especially in the context of natural disaster preparedness. Given the Caribbean’s vulnerability to tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, she said such data could play a vital role in protecting lives and livelihoods.
She pointed to successful tsunami early-warning partnerships developed with Chile, Honduras, and Venezuela as models that could be replicated across the Caribbean.
Welcoming the CTBTO’s continued engagement in the Region, Solomon recalled earlier workshops in Antigua and Barbuda and Jamaica that helped advance treaty ratification efforts.
She praised the fact that all countries in CARICOM, Latin America, and the Caribbean have now ratified the CTBT, reflecting the Region’s united stance on nuclear disarmament.
Recognizing the capacity limitations faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Solomon also welcomed the NDCs4All (National Data Centres for All) initiative, which aims to support countries in fulfilling their CTBT-related obligations.
