The delegations of Austria, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa and Ambassador Elayne Whyte were awarded the 2017 Arms Control Person(s) of the Year for leading the negotiations on the landmark 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to a successful conclusion in July, 2017.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was opened for signature on 20 September 2017 at the United Nations; it is an instrument of international law that prohibits the development, testing, production, manufacture, and acquisition of nuclear weapons, as well as the use or the threat of use of such weapons.
The delegations awarded with the 2017 Arms Control Person(s) of the Year participated remarkably in the negotiations of said Treaty. For her part, Ambassador Elayne Whyte, from Costa Rica, chaired the negotiations of the Treaty in a transparent and constructive manner.
Since 2007, the Arms Control Association has nominated individuals and institutions that have advanced effective arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament solutions or raised awareness of the threats posed by mass casualty weapons. The nominee or nominees who receive a higher number of votes become the Arms Control Person(s) of the Year. A full list of previous winners is available here.