By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider 

Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, made an address at the plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group for their 50th Anniversary in Cape Town yesterday. 

The Nuclear Suppliers Group is a group consisting of countries that have access to or supply nuclear technology while also ensuring that the technology is not used to build weapons of mass destruction.

 The group consists of 48 nuclear supplier countries with South Africa being the sole African country to be a part of the group and have had the task of chairing this plenary meeting in Cape Town, since hosting it the first time in 2007. 

The group not only safeguards against using Nuclear technology to prevent weapons being manufactured from it, but also aims to bring nuclear energy as a source of providing electricity and non-power applications. A lack of supply in energy has caused many countries to be held back in terms of economic growth, for instance according to the Nuclear Suppliers Group website, 40% of people in Africa are without access to electricity. The NSG also aims at using nuclear energy in order to combat climate change.

Minister Lamola has expressed in his address that South Africa have been the only “voluntarily dismantle” of their nuclear weapons programme, as the country aligns with a more beneficial way to use the energy source.

“South Africa, as the only country to have developed and then voluntarily dismantled its nuclear weapons programme, remains a strong proponent of disarmament and non-proliferation and an ardent supporter of a world free from the threats posed by weapons of mass destruction”.  

“We have consistently expressed support for measures that would strengthen safeguards and non-proliferation systems with a view to addressing the serious challenge posed by the proliferation of nuclear weapons while ensuring that controls under the NSG do not deny developing countries access to sensitive material, equipment and advanced technologies required for peaceful purposes and their developmental needs.” 

Minister Lamola has also expressed that now more than ever in this current worsening of the geopolitical climate, it is even more of a necessity to ensure that nuclear energy is not used for destruction. 

“Today, that principle is more relevant than ever. We find ourselves navigating a complex and uncertain geopolitical environment, one marked by renewed tensions, regional instability, and challenges to the multilateral norms that have long underpinned our collective security.”