BASIC FACTS

The Oriental Republic of Uruguay is a country located in southeast South America, bordered by Brazil and Argentina. Uruguay won its independence between 1811 and 1828 and is today a democratic constitutional republic.

Capital: Montevideo

There are currently no nuclear power plants or operational research reactors in Uruguay.

In 1964 the Center for Nuclear Research in Malvin Norte purchased a research reactor from the United States which became operational in 1978. However, it was decommissioned upon the discovery of corrosion in 1985, and all nuclear fuel was removed. In 1988 Uruguay began discussion with Canada to construct a nuclear power plant, but popular opposition ended the negotiations.

Since 1997 it is illegal in Uruguay to produce nuclear energy.

TREATIES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

• Observer of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)
• Member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since 1963
• Signed 1925 Geneva Protocol in 1925
  • Ratified in 1977
• Acceded to Antarctic Treaty in 1980
• Signed Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 1997
  • Ratified in 2001
• Signed Arms Trade Treaty in 2013
  • Ratified in 2014
• Acceded to Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) in 1981
• Signed Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) in 1993
  • Ratified in 1994
• Signed Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty in 1996
  • Ratified in 2001
• Acceded to Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons in 1994
• Signed Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2008
  • Ratified in 2009
• Acceded to Convention on Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD) in 1993
• Signed Inter-American Convention on Firearms in 1997
  • Ratified in 2001
• Signed Inter-American Convention on Transparency in 1999
  • Ratified in 2001
• Acceded to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials (CPPNM) in 2003
• Signed International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) in 2005
  • Ratified in 2016
• Signed & Ratified Moon Treaty (Celestial Bodies) in 1981
• Signed Outer Space Treaty in 1967
  • Ratified in 1970
• Signed Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963
  • Ratified in 1969
• Signed Sea-bed Treaty in 1971
• Signed Treaty of Tlatelolco in 1967
  • Ratified in 1994
• Signed Treaty for the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in 1968
  • Ratified in 1970
• Signed Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in 2017
  • Ratified in 2018

REGIONAL GROUPS

• Member of the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
• Member of the G-77
• Member of the Organization of American States (OAS)
• Member of the Union of the South American Nations (UNASUR)

RECENT REPRESENTATION IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

• IAEA Board Member for 2019-2020
• Secretary-General of OAS since 2015
• Member of the 1540 Committee in 2016/2017
• Non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2016/2017
• Chairperson of the UN First Committee in 2009

LINKS

UN State Summary

Ratification of Treaties & Memberships in International Organizations Related to Disarmament