The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) came about as a result of long-standing public opposition to nuclear testing and international pressure to make further progress towards nuclear disarmament. Following negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament, the Treaty was transmitted to the United Nations General Assembly, where it was opened for signature in 1996. Pending entry into force, CTBT State Signatories established the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).
In the latest brief of the VCDNP’s Governing the Atom series, Senior Research Associate Noah Mayhew and Research Intern Benedict Höfter describe the structure of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, how its policy-making organs take decisions, what each of them considers, and the CTBTO’s contributions to science and capacity-building.
The Governing the Atom brief series presents easily digestible and factual information to experts and government representatives on critical nuclear governance issues and aids States in their decision-making on critical issues related to working with international organisations and regimes, including the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the IAEA, the CTBTO, as well as on arms control and disarmament, nuclear export controls, nuclear security, and other relevant topics.
