Kingston, Jamaica, April 3–4, 2025 – The Secretary-General of OPANAL, Ambassador Flávio Roberto Bonzanini, participated in the “CTBTO Regional Workshop for States Signatories of the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region,”held in Kingston and co-organized by the Government of Jamaica and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).
The workshop brought together experts, diplomats, and representatives from the region to strengthen regional engagement with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), promoting better understanding of the mission of the CTBTO and enhancing national and regional technical cooperation and capabilities.
At the opening ceremony, Secretary-General underscored the historic role of Latin American and Caribbean countries in advancing the global disarmament and non-proliferation agenda. “For decades, our region has demonstrated leadership in advancing international legal instruments that strengthen the disarmament regime,” he said. “It is therefore no coincidence that three years ago, the CTBT achieved universalization in Latin America and the Caribbean, with all States in the region having signed and ratified the Treaty. This milestone is a direct result of our region’s unwavering commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.”
On the margins of the workshop, the Secretary-General held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss shared priorities for advancing the goals of the Treaty of Tlatelolco in the region and globally. Ambassador Bonzanini expressed appreciation for Jamaica’s active role in supporting the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and commended its efforts to serve as a bridge between regional and global disarmament efforts. Both parties reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing joint priorities of OPANAL and its Member States, including the promotion of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education.
