July 7th, 2017
Briefing with members of the Core Group and Civil Society on Adoption of Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty

The United Nations Correspondents Association held a press briefing on Friday, July 7th with members of the UN Core Group (South Africa, Brazil, Austria, Nigeria) joined by delegates from the International Community of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) on the adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Delegates from the Core Group and Civil Society included:

(top photo from left)
Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi, Permanent Representative of Austria to the UN in Geneva
Ambassador Nozipho Joyce Mxakato-Diseko, Permanent Representative of South Africa to the UN in Geneva
Ambassador Tijjani Muhammad Bande, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN in New York
Mr. Alex Giacomelli, Minister Counselor, Permanent Mission of Brazil to the UN in New York
Beatrice Fihn, Executive Director, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
Kathleen Lawand, Head of Arms Unit, Legal Division, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Statement from the Core Group:

The Core Group was instrumental in the processes that led to the convening the UN Nuclear Ban Treaty Conference.  Civil society as well as international organisations played a very active role in the process.The UN Conference to ban nuclear weapons, was in session since 15 June 2017, and concluded its work on Friday, 7 July 2017. The most important outcome of the Conference is the adoption of a treaty banning nuclear weapons. This is a historic milestone in the area of disarmament and indeed the whole world as it is the first time that nuclear weapons will be explicitly prohibited.