(Part 2) High-level Plenary Meeting to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons - General Assembly, 81st session

Okay. Play from the Khan Ride Destination Weekend Dhamaka. It's a very important part of the game.

Good afternoon. Welcome to this special session of the General Assembly. We will continue our high-level meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Before giving the floor to the first speaker, I want to remind all participants that they should limit their statements to three minutes for statements made on be in their national capacity and five minutes for those made on behalf of a group of states I would also like to remind delegations that pursuant to the letter of the 17th of September of 2026 the president of the general assembly the speakers will make their statements from their national seats. I would like to inform delegations that the time limits will be enforced strictly. Microphones will be switched off automatically once the time limit is attained. I would now like to give the floor to Algeria.

Thank you, Mr.

President. First and foremost, a few months ago, we concluded the work of the NPT Review Conference, and We were unable to achieve consensus-based results. At the same time, nuclear weapons states continue to modernize their nuclear weapons arsenals in light of the utter absence of negotiations in the area of disarmament. And this is a negative message, which means that the world has slid back significantly in terms of disarmament. That having been said, I wish to convey to you, share with you our painful national experience 60 years ago, Algerian Sahara had experienced the last nuclear explosion and the number of deaths nuclear weapon explosion-related deaths reached 57, carried out by the colonial power. Today, we are undertaking efforts as we seek to rehabilitate the contaminated zones. However, the waste deep in the sand has not been completely eliminated. We are not addressing this painful past just for the sake of talking about it, but to refer to the real cost of these explosions and nuclear tests, nuclear explosions, and the nefarious consequences on the health of people and the nefarious consequences on the attainment of sustainable development. And this has significant repercussions for succeeding generations. that Pelindaba Treaty was adopted 30 years ago, and this is a paragon which reflects the fact that African states are seeking to achieve progress in the realm of fighting against nuclear weapons. And we also cherish the hope that this same approach will be applied for the Middle East region. We also call for continued efforts to be undertaken for the treaty on the complete elimination of nuclear tests. to enter into force. And in this regard, I wish to emphasize the following three points. Number one, the establishment of a global mechanism for negative security assurances. And second, the initiation of negotiations for a global nuclear disarmament convention. And third, continued efforts to be undertaken in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the NPT. Mr. President, we have been fortunate in so far we have avoided on a number of occasions nuclear conflict, but we cannot make a chance and a fortune a bedrock of our security. And to conclude, I wish to voice support for what was mentioned by NAM, the African Group, and the Arab Group. Thank you.

Thank you, Algeria. I now give the floor to the Dominican Republic.

Mr. Chairman, the Dominican Republic is honored to take part in this commemoration of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons and reaffirms our full commitment to achieving a world completely free of these weapons. As long as the nuclear weapons continue to exist, there is a risk of their being used in a context characterized by modernization of nuclear arsenals, growing dependence on nuclear deterrence doctrines, and growing geopolitical tensions, it's more necessary than ever to renew dialogue, strengthen mutual trust, and redouble our collective efforts in favor of reducing the risk and achieving nuclear disarmament. For the Dominican Republic, multilateralism and international law are the essential pathway in moving toward that goal. We reaffirm our commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and its goals of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, promoting nuclear disarmament, and ensuring the peaceful use of nuclear energy. It is essential to move specifically in fulfilling the obligations under Article VI of the treaty as part of international cooperation and with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the area of safeguards, guarantees, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We'd like to also recognize the contribution of the treaty to international efforts to eliminate these weapons and to reduce their humanitarian and environmental impacts. We hope that the first conference of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will be a step in that direction. The Dominican Republic also considers it urgent to move forward the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The definitive prohibition of these tests will be a concrete and verifiable step to limit the qualitative development of nuclear arsenals. Indeed, based on these considerations, we are convinced that the complete elimination of nuclear weapons involves a collective generation to current and future generations. This is why the Dominican Republic urges all states to strengthen dialogue, reduce nuclear risks, and to progressively move towards a world free of nuclear weapons in a verifiable way. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

I thank the representative of the Dominican Republic, and I now give the floor to Tunisia.

Mr. President, we have gathered today to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, and yet today the nuclear weapons file is encountering a multitude of challenges. The situation has not changed since last year, and this international day should not become merely a moment to commemorate and to shed light on the threats, but rather this should become a starting point as we seek to implement our international agenda, efforts, and commitments. Backsliding in terms of commitment, specifically under the NPT, constitutes a direct threat to our collective security, we have an obligation to avoid the establishment of double standards and to achieve stability in the Middle East region. And this stability in the Middle East region hinges on the establishment of a nuclear weapons and W- and a zone free of nuclear weapons and other WMDs in the area. And we also support to IAEA safeguards in this regard. Tunisia is committed to the inherent and inalienable right of all states for the peaceful use of nuclear power and atomic power, and this in accordance with international instruments under the oversight of the IAEA. We are gravely concerned in light of the the violations which we have observed in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Gaza Strip. We called for a lasting, sustained ceasefire and the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip and avoidance of the recurrence of such a tragedy. Mr. President, international security can not be achieved by modernizing nuclear weapons arsenals. This can be achieved only by undertaking efforts for the achievement of sustainable development. We need political will on the part of all states in order to progress the nuclear file. And for this reason, we need a comprehensive global approach. We need to improve, enhance dialogue, and to avoid unilateral policies and threats of use of force. We need to resolve our disputes through peaceful means. as well as to continue to endeavor to tackle the real challenges which humanity faces today, inter alia, pandemics, famine, and many others. And to conclude, we need to continue to seek to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the UN and to continue to undertake efforts at the international level in order to achieve total denuclearization. Thank you.

I thank the distinguished representative of Tunisia, and I give the floor to Paraguay. Microphone for Paraguay, please.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Paraguay lines itself with a statement of Uruguay on behalf of CELAC and joins this commemoration of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. We want to be absolutely clear, the only use for nuclear energy is peaceful use. Increase in the intensity of hostilities in areas of conflict that involve countries with nuclear weapons constitutes an extremely high risk both for security and for human life. We reiterate that the use, including the threat of the use of weapons of mass destruction, and especially nuclear weapons, is a violation of international law, international humanitarian law, and international law of human rights. As rarely in human history is the concern about the threat of the use or the use of nuclear weapons, as well as their humanitarian and environmental impact, rarely has it felt so close and palpable. The universalization and extension of nonproliferation obligations is more necessary today than ever. We consider that the treaty the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons is a cornerstone of the disarmament regime. Nonproliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. This is complemented and improved within the international disarmament architecture with the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, as well as with the declaration of nuclear weapons-free zone of Tlatelolco, Aratango, and Antarctica. By the way, those countries that are not parties to the NPT should become signatories as soon as possible. Also, it's essential to ensure the entry into force of the CTBT with the signature and ratification of all Annex 2 countries with any preconditions. Mr. Chairman, The Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is not only a milestone in international law because it is based on the recognition of human suffering caused by nuclear weapons and their catastrophic consequences, thus providing a humanitarian focus on nuclear weapons. It also establishes a binding legal framework, which is what we call on states that are not parties to the NPTW to ratify it as soon as possible. We also reiterate the need for full respect for the inalienable right of all states to develop, research, and produce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in order to implement programs developed in accordance with international standards based on the principles of damage prevention and other important principles, including environmental responsibility. Paraguay recognizes the fundamental role played by the IAEA and its system of safeguards.

This microphone is switched off. thank Paraguay, and I give the floor to Peru.

Mr. Chairman, we meet in a complex international context marked by deep uncertainty and growing instability. The persistence of conflicts exacerbates the threat of the use of nuclear weapons, the weakening of disarmament mechanisms, indicates that these risks could become a reality with irreversible humanitarian environmental consequences. In this complicated context, Peru reaffirms its commitment to the prohibition and the total elimination of nuclear weapons in a transparent, verifiable, and irreversible way, as well as with multilateral diplomacy as the only way of achieving this goal. This year, Peru participated actively in the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, reaffirming its central role and relevance in the disarmament commitments envisioned in its Article VI. The absence of consensus in the aforementioned Review Conference of the NPT points to the need to preserve the credibility of the international disarmament and non-proliferation regime, to rebuild trust, and to revitalize multilateral dialogue. Against this backdrop, we reiterate the need of making progress towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, reaffirming our wholehearted commitment to key instruments such as the NPT, the CTBT, and the TPNW. We also recall the historic importance of the Tlatelolco Treaty that declared Latin America as a zone free of nuclear weapons and our active participation in the organization Opanal. Peru recognizes the important work of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, in the area of verification, technical cooperation, and promotion of the peaceful use of nuclear energy. We will continue actively and constructively contributing to strengthening the international disarmament and nonproliferation architecture. In this context, we'd like to make an appeal to nuclear weapon possessor states to move towards concrete commitments and to the entire membership to step up our efforts for the universalization of these instruments. Nuclear weapons should never again be used under any circumstance. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Peru. And I now give the floor to Chad.

Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, Chad reaffirms our commitment to the purposes and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the goal of a complete and general disarmament, which remains essential for the establishment of international peace and security. My country has always supported the international community's efforts to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons and to end nuclear tests. In that regard, we signed, on 8 October 1996, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and we ratified on 8 February 2013 said treaty. Through this measure, we have reaffirmed our commitment in a tangible way through a prohibition of nuclear tests and the goal of a nuclear-weapons-free world. And we also attribute particular importance to the Nuclear Weapons Nonproliferation Treaty, to which we have been a party since 1971, as well as the International Disarmament and proliferation regime. In the current international landscape, which is punctuated by persistent geopolitical tensions and the modernization of nuclear arsenals, it is more necessary than ever before to safeguard and strengthen multilateral disarmament mechanisms. And we believe that international security cannot be reliably rooted in the threat of use of weapons with catastrophic and environmental consequences. Like the Secretary General of the United Nations, we too call upon all states to fulfill their international commitments, to strengthen trust, and to pursue dialogue in good faith towards nuclear disarmament. As an African state, CHAT reaffirms our commitment to the Statute of Africa as free of nuclear weapons in accordance with the Pelendaba Treaty, and we encourage building upon this momentum in Africa on this International Day, Chad recalls our commitment to a peaceful world, a safe, secure world free of nuclear weapons. We reaffirm our readiness and willingness to contribute through multilateralism and through the United Nations to efforts geared towards advancing this shared aim of humanity. Thank you.

I thank Chad, and I now give the floor to Ireland.

President, since we met a year ago, existential threats to humanity have preoccupied our deliberations here at the UN, as well as the worries of our citizens at home. Some of these threats are novel and emerging. The risks and uncertainties that attend generative AI, for example, have come to dominate the public sphere as calls for global regulation grow louder. Some existential risks are, however, much older and well known. One of the most enduring is the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons. Over 12,000 of them are still held by just nine states, posing a grave risk to humanity. Regrettably, nuclear risk is growing more acute while garnering less attention than it should. Today is an important opportunity to reflect on this and to compel collective action to reverse course. Most importantly, we call on nuclear-armed states to fulfill their disarmament obligations, which they are ignoring. Mr. President, It is now over half a century since the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty entered into force, which has served as a bulwark against the further spread of these devastating weapons. Worryingly, successive review conferences of the treaty, over a period of 16 years now, have failed to find agreement among States Parties. With such failures compounded by the rapid increase in modernisation of nuclear arsenals by some States, we risk losing the momentum of past decades that limited the existential risk posed by nuclear weapons. Although technology is transforming our world, the fundamental facts about nuclear weapons remain unchanged. The United Nations agreed in 1978 that the most effective guarantee against the danger of nuclear war and the use of nuclear weapons was their complete elimination. With the additional threat now posed by the integration of AI into nuclear command and control, this is even more pressing. While all states bear responsibility to advance nuclear disarmament, certain facts on the ground cannot be ignored. The Russian Federation's nuclear threats against Ukraine and the continued illegal occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are dangerous and unacceptable. We also face critical challenges to the global non-proliferation regime. Non-fulfilment of safeguards obligations by NPT States Parties, as well as attacks on civil nuclear sites, wherever they may occur, are unacceptable and should be condemned. We call on all States to adhere to international law, which includes full co-operation with the IAEA and its inspectors. We reaffirm Ireland's support for the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and we call our support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and its forthcoming first review conference. Mr. President, as we confront a dangerous period of existential risk, we must return to multilateral leadership and trust building. Enduring security cannot be built on a foundation of mutually assured destruction, something our predecessors agreed generations ago. Our shared recognition of the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of the use of nuclear weapons must form the foundation for collective action. Ireland reaffirms our commitment today to reestablish progress to an essential shared goal, a safer, more peaceful world free from nuclear weapons. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Ireland, and I now give the floor to Japan.

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening us on this important day to commemorate and promote the International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Ever since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the path toward nuclear disarmament has remained challenging. Precisely because we find ourselves in such a difficult environment, we must have the determination to engage in sincere dialogue, build mutual trust, and seek common ground. Mr. President, Japan's commitment is reflected in three areas of action. First, we must maintain and strengthen the framework for dialogue and cooperation. At the 11th NPT Review Conference held this year, we were able to reaffirm the fundamental importance of the NPT as a cornerstone of international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Japan will continue to work with all state parties to fortify the NPT regime and to identify areas of common ground. Second, we must build political momentum for concrete measures in a realistic and practical manner. Last week, Foreign Minister of Japan, Toshimitsu Motegi, co-hosted the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Friends of the CTBT. The meeting demonstrated our collective commitment to the CTBT and generated political momentum towards its early entry into force. Japan will continue to pursue such efforts to build momentum for further progress. Third, we must pass the lessons of the past on to the next generation. Japan's commitment to a world without nuclear weapons is rooted in the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and its testimonies of the hibakusha. As the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war, Japan has a responsibility to ensure that these lessons are passed on to the future generations. Japan will continue to expand opportunities for young leaders to engage in disarmament efforts, including through the Youth Leader Fund and the UN Disarmament Fellowship Program. Mr. President, the road toward a world without nuclear weapons will not be easy, but we must continue to move forward step by step. I thank you.

I thank Japan, and I give the floor to Guatemala.

Mr. Chairman, Guatemala is grateful for the organization of this meeting to commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This is an opportunity that forces us to think about the risks associated with these weapons and one of the most urgent challenges to international peace and security. At a time when trust among states is confronting major challenges, it is very dismaying that nuclear weapons continue to occupy a central role in certain security doctrines. This reality reminds us that that the situation cannot be considered as taken for granted. There are serious implications for international peace. In the face of this situation, international efforts and cooperation, multilateralism are extremely important. No state can address these challenges alone. This is why it's important to strengthen disarmament mechanisms, promote dialogue, and strengthen international cooperation as a basis for the construction of a lasting collective security. Guatemala maintains a firm conviction that Sustainable peace cannot be based on the threat of mass destruction, but rather should be based on respect for international law, mutual trust, and cooperation among states. The security of all depends on our capacity to gradually but decisively move towards the total elimination that is verifiable and irreversible of nuclear weapons. On this day, we make an appeal to the international community to to rebuild its commitment to these ideals. In the face of these challenges, inaction is not an option. We must continue strengthening nonproliferation, guided by the UN Charter and by our shared responsibility to preserve peace for current and future generations.

Thank you, Guatemala. I now give the floor Samoa.

Mr. President, Samoa aligns itself with the statement delivered by Fiji on behalf of Pacific Small Island Developing States, PSIDS. As we observe the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons today, Samoa reaffirms its unwavering commitment to global nuclear disarmament. The total elimination of nuclear weapons remains the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and is essential to safeguarding humanity and our shared planet. A nuclear-weapon-free world remains one of the United Nations' oldest and most enduring priorities. Yet, since the first use of these weapons decades ago, the threat they pose has not diminished. On the contrary, we are witnessing with concern the expanding of nuclear arsenals, increasing tensions amongst nuclear-armed States, and the erosion of international disarmament and arms control frameworks. Regrettably, this year's Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, again, did not reach consensus. The risk of transboundary and transgenerational harm, particularly to the health of our ocean, is of existential concern. Our region has set a clear course. Under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, our leaders have declared the Blue Pacific an ocean of peace, committed to the elimination of nuclear weapons and the protection of our environment and peoples. Samoa possesses neither the capacity nor the means to shield itself from the catastrophic fallout of nuclear weapons. Indeed, no nation can, regardless of wealth, size, or military strength. Our only true protection lies in the international rule of law, strict adherence to multilateral treaties, and the collective resolve of the global community to prevent catastrophe. We call on all States, particularly nuclear-armed States, to fulfill their disarmament obligations, enhance transparency and accountability, and redirect resources away from nuclear arms towards peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and sustainable development. Let us invest in peace, not in the tools of mass destruction. Let us renew our determination to act collectively today to eliminate nuclear weapons from our present so they no longer threaten our future.

I thank you. I now give the floor to Nepal.

Thank you, Mr. President. More than eight decades into nuclear age, humanity still lives under an existential threat of its own making. Nuclear arsenals are being modernized. New and destabilizing capabilities are being developed. Nuclear weapons are accorded greater prominence in national security doctrines. These alarming trends not only deepen strategic mistrust, but also erode the fragile architectures of global peace and security. At the same time, resources that could uplift millions out of poverty, finance climate actions, and accelerate the SDGs are rather diverted to sustain nuclear stockpiles. This year further exposes serious fractures in the global disarmament architecture. For the first time in more than half a century, the expirations of New START in February left the world without binding limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the two largest nuclear weapons states. The 11th NPT Review Conference concluded without substantive outcomes, the third consecutive Review Conference to do so. Against this backdrop, Mr. President, Nepal underscores the following. First, total, verifiable and irreversible elimination remains the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of nuclear weapons. Second, We must strengthen, not fragment, the global disarmament architecture. We must reaffirm the NPT as the cornerstones of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. We must ensure the full, effective and good faith implementations of Article VI. Third, the TPNW is a meaningful and historical step towards a world free of nuclear weapons. We look forward to its first review conference later this year. Fourth, we regard nuclear arms control agreement as an important stepping stone towards achieving complete and irreversible nuclear disarmament. We urge negotiations on a successor framework to the New START and early into force of the CTBT. Finally, Mr. President, promoting disarmament and nonproliferation education and awareness especially among youths, women, survivors, and local communities, is critical. Let us turn this remembrance into our renewed resolve to ultimately realize a world free of nuclear weapons. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Nepal. And I now give the floor to Bahrain.

Mr. President, Bahrain expresses its appreciation for convening this important meeting, which reiterates the commitment of the international community to maintain efforts to eliminate -- to totally eliminate nuclear weapons and maintain international peace and security. Mr. President, the continuation of nuclear weapons and the promotion of its technologies doubles the risk and threatens the stability. It undermines the international efforts to curb nuclear proliferation. Bahrain reiterates its position that calls for... Bahrain reiterates that the NPT remains the cornerstone in international efforts to ensure the non-proliferation and promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. With the balanced implementation of its three pillars and support of the IAEA in the field of safeguards and verification. In this connection, Bahrain reiterates the importance of addressing the concerns of international community in relation to Iranian nuclear program and ensure its exclusive peaceful nature, and calls on Iran to fully fulfill its obligations and and cooperate with the IAEA. Bahrain believes that an integrated approach that ensures the implementation of international obligations and the full cooperation with the IAEA is the optimal way to sustainably address this dossier and maintain international peace and security. Bahrain reiterates its principled position calling for the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and the implementation of 1995 decision, and calls for efforts to ensure transfer of knowledge and cooperation. In conclusion, Bahrain reiterates its call for taking practical and concrete steps to promote the non-proliferation regime and move ahead with international efforts for a world free of nuclear weapons. Thank you.

Thank you, Bahrain. I give the floor to Argentina.

Good afternoon. Mr. President, distinguished Ambassador Scapini, I have the honor of speaking on behalf of Argentina on this International Day for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, where we are addressing a very relevant topic, how to achieve the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. Argentina has an active nuclear program for exclusively peaceful purposes. We're a producer and exporter of nuclear technology in the framework of the strictest respect for norms enshrined in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the non-proliferation regime. Latin America and the Caribbean was the first densely populated area in the world to declare itself a nuclear weapons-free zone through the Tlatelolco Treaty. In that framework, the OPA, which is the agency for the prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, was exemplary in the implementation of the provisions of the NPT. We find ourselves in a very complex moment in time, and it is essential to strengthen multilateral efforts in order to strengthen the global disarmament and nonproliferation architecture, of which the NPT is a cornerstone. We reiterate our appeal to all states to honor their commitments. under the NPT and to continue working so that the option of having nuclear weapons stops featuring so prominently in military doctrines of nuclear weapons States, as well as the adoption of measures to reduce nuclear risks. We support all efforts to prevent the emergence of new nuclear weapons States. With regard to non-proliferation, it is essential that countries comply with their obligations under the NPT and the relevant safeguards agreement without any reservations and in good faith. This implies active cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. I would like to, in this context, to refer to the essential role of the IAEA, both in terms of promotion and cooperation of the peaceful use of nuclear technology, as well as in the area of nonproliferation through its system of nuclear safeguards. We also would like to mention the importance of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and insist on the need for its early entry into force. Lastly, we'd like to highlight the important work undertaken by the Brazilian-Argentine Agency of Accountability and Control of Nuclear Materials, ABAC, as an innovative mechanism in the area of reciprocal nuclear inspections of facilities in both Mr. President, international peace and security require unequivocal commitment of all Member States. With this in mind, my country is ready to contribute to the relevant negotiations, both in the Disarmament Conference as well as in other forums. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Argentina, and I now give the floor to Lesotho.

Mr. President, Lesotho commands the convening of this important meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. We align our statement with those delivered on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Africa Group. Mr. President, This meeting takes place at a critical time when rising geopolitical tensions threaten to set back the limited gains made towards nuclear disarmament and the total elimination of nuclear weapons. It serves as an important reminder to constantly reflect on the existential threats that nuclear weapons continue to pose as we enter the ninth decade of the United Nations. Lesotho remains deeply concerned by the slow pace of nuclear disarmament with the ultimate objective of total elimination of nuclear weapons, recalling the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that arose from the use of nuclear weapons, which transcend national boundaries. The threat of use of nuclear weapons, the race towards acquiring and developing them as a security deterrent, the incorporation of emerging technologies into such weapon systems, and nuclear weapon testing continue to escalate. It is deeply regrettable that the 2026 review conference of the NPT did not reach the requisite consensus. We call upon all state parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to act with renewed commitment. As a state party committed to the total elimination of nuclear weapons, Lesotho signed the Pelindaba Treaty, African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, which established Africa as an internationally recognized nuclear weapon free zone. Lesotho supports the use of nuclear science and technology for peaceful purposes in pursuit of socioeconomic development and welcomes the support and collaboration of the IAEA in assisting developing nations to apply nuclear energy towards agriculture, industry, and health. As we commemorate this important day, we call on all stakeholders to double efforts towards raising awareness of the risks and dangers of nuclear weapons. I thank you.

I thank Lesotho. I now give the floor to Pakistan.

Mr. President, we meet against a deeply troubling international security backdrop. Great power rivalries are intensifying. Conflicts, old and new, continue to rage. Long-standing disputes remain unresolved. The core principles of the UN Charter, above all, the non-use of force, are being violated with disturbing regularity. Global military expenditures has risen year after year. New and destabilizing technologies, including the integration of AI into warfare, are lowering thresholds and amplifying risks. International norms are increasingly applied selectively, Allies receive exemptions, while others face coercive scrutiny. Such double standards are breeding asymmetries that are eroding regional and global stability. Even more dangerous is the conduct of nuclear-armed states, which instead of exercising responsibility and restraint, pursue hegemonic designs. Our own region has repeatedly demonstrated how domestic compulsions and reckless bravado can drive states toward confrontation with attendant nuclear dangers for the entire region and beyond. This commemoration must therefore serve as a call to action to revive consensus and cooperatively advance nuclear disarmament alongside comprehensive international and regional security. President, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to the goal of a nuclear weapons-free world. achieved in a universal, verifiable, and non-discriminatory manner, ensuring undiminished security for all states at the lowest possible level of armaments as envisaged in SSOD-1. Pakistan supports all international efforts to promote fair and equitable solutions to global disarmament and non-proliferation challenges. Nuclear disarmament will remain a distant prospect if states continue to shirk disarmament responsibilities while pursuing unremitting power and seek domination. The credibility of the international system depends not on new promises, but on enforcing existing obligations and deterring reckless behavior. Absent this, the world will need to prepare for an era of heightened nuclear dangers. I thank you.

I thank Pakistan, and I give the floor to Mongolia.

Mr. President, excellencies, Mongolia aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uganda on the behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and wishes to make the following remarks in our national capacity. The international security environment has become increasingly fragile. Strategic competition is intensifying. Trust is diminishing. Nuclear risks remain a profound concern. These circumstances make sustained engagement in nuclear disarmament all the more necessary. The 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons early this year concluded without agreement on a substantive outcome. This reinforces the need to preserve the integrity and credibility of the NPT and translate existing commitments across its three pillars into meaningful progress. We also underscore the importance of the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Mr. President, Nuclear weapon-free zones demonstrate what the states can achieve through cooperation, legally grounded commitments, and confidence building. Mongolia welcomes the successful completion this year of the work of the qualified group of experts established pursuant to the General Assembly Resolution 79/241 to prepare a comprehensive study of nuclear weapon-free zones in all their aspects. More than four decades after the United Nations last undertook such a study, its findings and recommendations provide a timely basis for strengthening the contribution of nuclear-weapon-free zones to international peace and security. Mongolia is also pleased to have contributed to this process, drawing on the experience of our unique single-state nuclear-weapon-free status. We also welcome the continued progress towards the universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, including Ghana and Togo as its newest States Parties, and the recent signature to the Treaty by Gabon. As a State Party, Mongolia looks forward to the first review conference to be chaired by the Republic of South Africa later this year as an opportunity to strengthen its implementation and broaden support for the Treaty. Progress towards a world without nuclear weapons requires rebuilding confidence, maintaining dialogue even in difficult circumstances, and turning commitments into practical steps. Mongolia will remain ready to work with all Member States toward a safer, more peaceful, and nuclear-weapon-free world for present and future generations. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Mongolia, and I now give the floor

to Malaysia

Malaysia associates itself with the statement delivered by Nam this Gathering today is a striking reminder of of our Collective Endeavor to advance Global nuclear disarmament and reaffirm that the total elimination of nuclear weapons should not be dismissed as an unattainable aspiration our shared goal remains firmly underpinned by pressing security moral and ethical imperatives. No doctrine of deterrence can alter the fundamental reality that nuclear weapons are designed for catastrophic destruction with devastating humanitarian consequences. Peace, security and sustainable development cannot coexist with the continued elevation of nuclear weapons in the military doctrines and security policies of a select group of states. The expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals, together with renewed nuclear rhetoric and threats, risk entrenching nuclear dangers at precisely the time when the world needs greater restraint and disarmament. In this regard, Malaysia deeply regrets that the 2026 NPT RevCon was unable to adopt a substantive outcome. Restoring confidence in the global disarmament architecture requires all States Parties, particularly the nuclear weapons states, to demonstrate political will and ensure the full and effective implementation of their obligations under the NPT, particularly Article VI. In stark contrast to these setbacks, Malaysia welcomes the continued progress towards the universalization of the TPNW. The TPNW continues to complement and reinforce the NPT by placing the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons at the forefront, reaffirming the principles of IHL and strengthening the global norm against nuclear nuclear weapons. This year marks 30 years since the CTBT opened for signature. Its entry into force remains long overdue. We urge all remaining Annex 2 states to sign and ratify the treaty without further delay. Malaysia also underscores the importance of preserving existing nuclear testing moratoria pending the CTBT's entry into force. At the same time, we reaffirm our steadfast commitment to nuclear weapon-free zones, including the Seonfest Treaty as vital building blocks towards the world free of nuclear weapons. Following the expiration of the New START Treaty, we call upon the States concerned to pursue dialogue and negotiations towards a successor arrangement that provides for effective, verifiable, and legally binding limits on nuclear arsenals. Challenging times must spur us to set higher ambitions rather than yield to disillusionment. With renewed political will and collective let us fulfill our shared commitment to consigning nuclear weapons to the annals of history in the interest of present and future generations. Thank you.

I thank Malaysia. And I now give the floor to Bangladesh.

Mr. President, Bangladesh aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We gather here every year to speak of a world without nuclear weapons. However, sadly, we are observing nuclear arsenals being modernized and significant resources are being invested in them. Mr. President, for Bangladesh, our commitment is straightforward in this regard. We consider the NPT as the cornerstone of the global nonproliferation regime. Nearly 30 years after its adoption, the CTBT is yet to be in force. Therefore, we urge the remaining Annex II States to take the necessary steps to ratify the treaty at the earliest. The TPNW, meanwhile, has placed the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons at the center of our deliberation. Bangladesh looks forward to the constructive dialogue at its first review conference later this year. Mr. President, on this commemorative event, we propose five urgent actions. First, to accelerate universal, verifiable, and irreversible nuclear disarmament with the clear objective of achieving global zero. Second, to strengthen the NPT regime through balanced implementation of its three pillars while reinforcing the role of the IAEA in nuclear safety, security and safeguards, including preparedness and response to nuclear accidents and emergencies. Third, to advance the universalization and effective implementation of the TPNW and the CTBT. Fourth, to commence negotiations on a universal, unconditional and legally binding instrument on negative security assurances for non-nuclear weapon states, and finally, to urge the nuclear weapon states for their constructive role in the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. Mr. President, nuclear disarmament is nothing but a political choice. It's us who will decide on its attainment or refusal. We must develop strong and mutual trust among us to translate our commitments for elimination of nuclear weapons into action. I thank you.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The United Nations has been created with the aim of saving succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Yet the current heightened geopolitical tensions underscored that the dangers posed by nuclear armaments are neither theoretical nor remote, but immediate, escalating, and profoundly destabilizing. Their continued existence and development place humanity at existential risk, making it untenable to leave the use or threat of use of such weapons to chance. Eritrea urges that we urgently break free from the hegemonic world order and the zero-sum security logic that still dominates and prevails, so that we can prevent the risk towards the realm of the unimaginable, the use of nuclear weapons. The risk of miscalculation, accidental launch, or unauthorized use are real, and we must have all the necessary safeguards. We wish to underline that nuclear weapons do not guarantee lasting security. Instead, they leave us in a permanent state of mutual insecurity. One of the most important tools we have is a nuclear nonproliferation treaty, which commits nuclear weapons states to pursue disarmament. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons also reflects growing international concern about the humanitarian and security consequences of nuclear weapons. These commitments need to be honored, not just in word, but through concrete action. Today, we are calling for practical steps toward the renewed negotiations on nuclear disarmament, reduction in nuclear stockpiles, greater transparency, and stronger verification mechanisms. Mr. President, the choice before us is stark. Either we continue down a path where humanity's future is hostage to weapons of mass destruction, or we act with courage and clarity to build a world free of nuclear armaments. Eritrea strongly believes that our collective security cannot be built on the capacity for collective annihilation. It must be built on cooperation, trust, and the shared commitment to human dignity. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Eritrea, and I now give the floor to Nicaragua.

Mr. President, we align ourselves with the statements made by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and by Uruguay on behalf of the member states of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. Nicaragua, as a nation that is a lover of peace and defender of life, reaffirms that this International Day for the Total, Irreversible and Verifiable Elimination of Nuclear Weapons continues to be an urgent priority for humankind. We meet at a particularly worrisome moment. The recent 11th Review Conference of the NPT Treaty ended without reaching a consensus on a substantive outcome. This demonstrates that we cannot continue postponing the obligations of disarmament while nuclear arsenals are being modernized and doctrines based on deterrence are maintained, and there's an increase in the risk of nuclear disaster. Nicaragua rejects any attempt at nuclear supremacy as an instrument of pressure, intimidation, and domination against peoples. The security of some cannot be built on the threat of the destruction of others. Mr. President, while millions of human beings are dealing with poverty, hunger, inequality, and the effects of climate change, it is inadmissible that enormous resources are being used for the perfection of arsenals capable of destroying life on our Mother Earth. These resources should be directed towards development, cooperation, and the eradication of poverty. We reaffirm the importance of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation and implementation of its three pillars, especially the obligation of nuclear disarmament. We also reiterate our firm support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, as well as the inalienable right of all States to the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination or selective political conditions. Mr. President, as a State Party of the Tlatelolco Treaty, Nicaragua highlights the value of nuclear-weapons-free zones and reiterates the need to move towards the establishment of a nuclear-weapons-free zone and free of other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. We will continue defending an international order that is just, multipolar, and based on the sovereign equality of States, where cooperation replaces confrontation and peace prevails over threats and war. There is no security possible under the shadow of nuclear destruction. The only definitive guarantee is the total elimination of these weapons. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Nicaragua, and I give the floor to New Zealand.

President, New Zealand strongly advocates for the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Our long-standing commitment to this cause is rooted in the Pacific's experience of nuclear testing. Communities, environments and traditional ways of life still bear the scars of that legacy. Today, the threat of nuclear weapons is at the highest in decades. Nuclear arsenals are on the rise. The world is moving further from elimination and into a new era of nuclear competition. New Zealand makes four calls today. First, all states possessing or relying on nuclear weapons should take concrete, measurable steps towards their elimination. States outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty should renounce their nuclear arsenals and join the treaty as non-nuclear weapon states. Third, states yet to sign or ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty should do so urgently. And fourth, all states should move to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. as the clearest legal expression of the international community's rejection of nuclear weapons. President, we need to keep the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons at the center of international discussion. We are pleased with the progress of the UN Scientific Panel on Nuclear War Effects and Scientific Research. Stemming from a resolution led by Ireland and New Zealand, this initiative is drawing on the best available science to deepen understandings of the consequences of nuclear war. New Zealand was disappointed that this year's Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference ended without an agreed final outcome. But this does not diminish the treaty's obligations or the commitments made at previous review conferences. Together, we must strengthen the NPT and advance its goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty remains one clear example of practical and verifiable restraint. New Zealand welcomes Tonga's ratification this year, competing CTBT universalisation across the Pacific. I acknowledge the leadership of the Secretary-General, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and the tireless efforts of civil society and other stakeholders, who continue to remind us that progress on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation remains possible. The world does not need more weapons. Thank you.

I thank New Zealand, and I give the floor to Cabo Verde.

Thank you, Mr. President. Sixty-five years ago, through resolution 1665, the General Assembly took a historic step by calling for an international agreement to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and laid the foundations for the NPT. The total elimination of nuclear weapons is not an aspiration, but a moral imperative and an international legal obligation. We are a State Party to the Treaty since 1979 and unequivocally renounce the development, acquisition and possession of nuclear weapons. We fully implement our safeguard obligations with the International Atomic Energy Agency, ensuring that any nuclear-related activities remain exclusively for peaceful purposes. Cabo Verde. was among the first countries to sign the treaty in 2017, and following its unanimous ratification by our Parliament, it entered into force in September 22. These are much more than legal commitments and reflect our enduring belief in multilateralism, respect for international law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes as the only sustainable path to international peace and security. Mr. President, as a SIDS, Cabo Verde understands that true security cannot be built on the threat of mass destruction. It must be built on trust, dialogue, cooperation, and the rule of law. The continued existence of nuclear weapons remains an existential threat to humanity. Their complete, verifiable and irreversible elimination is therefore a security goal and the responsibility that we owe collectively to present and future generations. Let us therefore renew our determination to transform this shared vision into reality. Thank you.

I thank Cabo Verde, and I now give the floor to the Maldives.

President, year after year, we make a choice to spend money on nuclear weapons. It's a choice not without consequences. The history of nuclear testing is not a footnote. It is a risk we did not design, but live with it nevertheless. The danger of nuclear weapons is not theoretical. We are watching it unfold in real time. While military spending has surpassed $2.7 trillion, the financing gap to achieve the SDGs is measured in trillions. This is a choice we make, not a difference of degree, but a difference of priorities. The Maldives rejects that bargain. The Maldives urges better choices, take immediate steps to reduce nuclear risks, pursue disarmament including through obligations under existing international law, and ensure greater transparency and better safeguards, reduce reliance on nuclear arsenals in security doctrines, address the legacy already left behind through victims' assistance and environmental remediation. The Maldives has chosen engagement over silence. Since 2019, we have been a state party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and we look forward to its first review conference. We remain committed to the CTBT. The Maldives has also recently joined the International Atomic Energy Agency. a future financed by fear or a future financed by hope? Let us save the money we spend in modernizing arsenals to more productive purposes, to fund climate adaptation for the most vulnerable, to fund the education of the youth, and to fund the future worth inheriting. The Maldives urges Member States to choose the security of cooperation over the illusion of deterrence. The Maldives may be small, but our voice is not. We do not have the luxury of waiting for the powerful to change their minds. So we will not wait. We strive to lead the discussion forward. I thank you.

I thank the Maldives, and I now give the floor to El Salvador.

Thank you, President El Salvador, once again joins this commemoration based on the conviction that has historically guided our foreign policy. The complete, verifiable, and irreversible elimination of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against their use. Furthermore, we're proud to be a member of a region that decided many years ago to be a zone free of nuclear weapons. But, Mr. President, we meet at a time that requires renovating our sense of urgency. While nuclear weapons continue to play a central role in security doctrines, there will be a risk of their use, whether intentional, accidental, or the result of miscalculation. For El Salvador, no security consideration can make us lose sight of a fundamental reality: The humanitarian and environmental consequences of a nuclear explosion would be disastrous. They would be indiscriminate, and they would not recognize any borders. Their effects would affect all of humanity and would compromise the future of the next generation. This is why El Salvador reaffirms the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as an integral part of the international non-proliferation and disarmament regime. We reiterate once again our appeal for the full implementation of the obligation established in its Article VI and to make progress through concrete action towards nuclear disarmament. We cannot, nevertheless, ignore that the Treaty is experiencing a critical moment. Three consecutive review conferences have ended without reaching consensus on the substance of outcome, and this reality must encourage us to continue with our efforts to preserve the credibility of the NPT and, most importantly, to make progress in the effective implementation of its obligations and commitments. We would like to reaffirm the balance between the three pillars of the NPT and the right of all states for the research and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. For developing countries, the peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology offer important benefits in such areas as agriculture, medicine, development. President, more than eight decades after the beginning of the nuclear era, we cannot allow humankind to learn the consequence of the use of these weapons through a new disaster. El Salvador will continue to work with determination for a world free of nuclear weapons. Our collective challenge is to transform our commitments into actions and perhaps to make it possible that one day that this commemoration will stop being an appeal for the elimination and rather a celebration of having achieved their elimination. Thank you.

I thank El Salvador. And I give the floor to Cote d'Ivoire.

Thank you, Mr. President. Cote d'Ivoire aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement. More than eight decades after the entry of humanity into the atomic age, my country notes with regret that thousands of nuclear weapons continue to threaten our shared future. Arsenals are being modernized, mechanisms are for arms control are being weakened, and the possibility of the use of nuclear weapon is reappearing in our discussions. For Cote d'Ivoire, peace cannot be -- cannot hinge on the mutually assured destruction premise, a deterrence continues to pose a danger, but cannot eliminate that. And for this reason, the best guarantee against this danger is the complete, verifiable, irreversible elimination of these weapons under effective international oversight. We wish to reaffirm our commitment to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and we wish to note that the credibility of the NPT requires balanced implementation of its three pillars and tangible progress under Article VI. As a state party to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, we believe that this complements and strengthens the NPT by placing humanitarian consequences at the heart of international action. Turning to the CTBT, the entry into force of this treaty is more urgent now than ever before. Therefore, my country urges states to urgently, who have not yet done so, to accede to this treaty. We support international monitoring through the establishment of relevant mechanisms and facilities which we host on our territory. And in this way, we contribute to the international monitoring system. We chose, through the Pelendaba Treaty, to show an example, to embrace a world free of nuclear weapons. And as part of this approach, we call for ratification of the protocols and in the safeguards as well as universal security and legally binding mechanisms for the benefit of non-nuclear weapons states. We believe that in the medium term, there's a need to reduce escalation risks. As for disarmament, this needs to go hand in hand with the right of states to peaceful use of science, nuclear science and technology, specifically in the areas of healthcare, agriculture, energy, and protection of the environment. To conclude, we believe that the elimination of nuclear weapons is not an abstract ambition. This is a collective need for security, a universal duty vis-a-vis the victims, and a shared responsibility vis-a-vis succeeding generations. Thank you.

I thank Cote d'Ivoire, and I now give the floor to Guyana.

Thank you, Mr. President. 80 years ago, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrated the destructive power of nuclear weapons. Cities were devastated, tens of thousands of lives extinguished, and generations left to bear the consequences of radiation, displacement, and environmental ruin. No humanitarian response, however well-resourced, could ever adequately address such devastation. Eight decades later, the call contained in the first General Assembly resolution for the elimination of atomic weapons remains unfulfilled. Instead, the world is confronting threats of nuclear weapons at levels not seen since the Cold War, amid rising geopolitical tensions. Nuclear arsenals are being modernized, while their pace of dismantlement is slowing. Nuclear rhetoric has grown more strident, while the integration of emerging technologies into the nuclear domain introduces new risks. Each of these trends moves us further from elimination. Against this backdrop, our message must be unequivocal. Nuclear weapons must never again be used by any actor and under any circumstance. Mr. President, It is with this conviction that Guyana calls on all States to reinforce their commitment to the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture. At its foundation stands the NPT. We deeply regret that the 11th Review Conference concluded without a consensus outcome, the third consecutive conference to do so. This must not become a pattern that States Parties simply absorb and move past. We call for the full and balanced implementation of the treaty across all its three pillars. Guyana equally underscores the importance of the TPNW and calls for its universalization. We welcome the convening of its first review conference later this year. As we commemorate the 30th anniversary since the opening for signature of the CTBT, We urge the remaining Annex 2 States, whose signature and/or ratification is required for its entry into force, to take the necessary steps without further delay. Mr. President, the threat or use of nuclear weapons runs counter to the UN Charter, violates international law and undermines international peace and security. For Guyana, the only absolute guarantee against the use of or threat of use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination. Thank you.

I thank Guyana. I give the floor to Mozambique.

Mr. President, an estimated 12,187 nuclear weapons exist on Earth. States that possess them are investing heavily in modernization programs designed to last decades. Meanwhile, not a single nuclear weapon has been physically destroyed through treaty implementation, and non-nuclear disarmament negotiations are currently underway. This is not merely a matter of security statistics. Nuclear weapons represent an existential threat to humanity and the total elimination of these weapons remain the only absolute guarantee against their use or threat of use. This threat takes on even greater urgency when we consider the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons use. this is why confidence building measures and risk reduction, whilst valuable, cannot substitute for nuclear disarmament. They are stepping stones toward the ultimate goal, which is total elimination. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty established this goal through its three-pillar framework: disarmament, non-proliferation, and peaceful uses. Mozambique reaffirms its commitment to balanced implementation of all three pillars and nuclear weapon states must fulfill their disarmament obligations. Non-nuclear states must strengthen non-proliferation regimes and all states must ensure that the peaceful application of nuclear science advance global development and security. The total elimination of nuclear weapons remain the only absolute guarantee against their use or threat of use. Mr. President, Mozambique's contribution to this agenda is concrete and regional. Africa is a nuclear weapon-free zone under the Treaty of Pelindaba, adopted 34 years ago and still the continent's foundational commitment. Mozambique supports this treaty unreservedly. And in conclusion, the commemoration of this International Day must move beyond awareness into action. Every nation must be held accountable for its commitments. Every nuclear weapons state must publish destruction timelines. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Mozambique. I give the floor to Malta.

President, Malta shares the view that the total elimination of nuclear weapons remains the only absolute guarantee against their use or threat of use. Their continued existence constitutes an existential threat to global peace, security and humanity. No state, large or small, would be immune from their catastrophic humanitarian consequences. The recent commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the Hiroshima bombings reminds us of the devastating human cost and of the enduring message of the Hibakusha. Malta strongly supports complete nuclear disarmament and recognizes the TPNW as a landmark instrument towards this goal. As the TPNW's gender focal point, Malta continues to promote the meaningful participation of women in disarmament and to highlight the disproportionate impact of nuclear weapons on women. We are also contributing to efforts to strengthen age and gender sensitive victim assistance and to engage affected communities and civil society. Mr. President. Malta strongly supports the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and calls for its universalization. The CTBT remains an essential instrument for preventing further nuclear proliferation and advancing nuclear disarmament. Malta also attaches great importance to the NPT and its three pillars, particularly at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, nuclear posturing, and growing mistrust. While the 2026 NPT Review Conference did not produce a substantive consensus outcome, Malta encourages all states to use the conference as an opportunity for a new dialogue and cooperation. Regional nuclear weapon-free zones are another important contribution to this objective. Malta supports strengthening existing zones and promoting their establishment in regions where they do not yet exist. We also recognize the Conference on Disarmament as a single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum and believe that it should help rebuild trust and restore a spirit of meaningful negotiation. Finally, Malta recognizes the vital role of the IAEA in strengthening safeguards and promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear technology. We commend its technical cooperation program, and we are honored to have hosted the 2026 IAEA National Liaison Officers Conference in Valletta earlier this year. As we commemorate the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Malta reaffirms its commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons. This remains central to our pursuit of international peace and security. Thank you.

I thank Malta, and.

I now give the floor to Ecuador.

Thank you, President. have to say that I am very happy to see you chair this important meeting, Ambassador Scapini. Protecting humanity from the disastrous consequences of nuclear weapons is a shared responsibility. While these weapons exist, the risk of their deliberate, accidental use will persist, or through miscalculation, as has almost been mentioned by various representatives today. The intensification of nuclear rhetoric, expansion of nuclear arsenals, deepened mistrust, and weakened the nonproliferation and disarmament regime. The challenges of international security impose a strict adherence to international law as the only valid instrument to strengthen international peace and security. Nuclear rearmament for supposed reasons of security is unjustified. Ecuador reaffirms the importance of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the balanced implementation of its three pillars. We urge States Parties, in particular the nuclear weapons possessor States, to negotiate in good faith in conformity with Article VI and to move towards transparent, verifiable, and irreversible disarmament. Ecuador reiterates its support for the universalization of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons that complements the NPT, and we wish for the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. We reaffirm our support for OPANAL and full respect for nuclear-weapons-free zones as contributions to collective security, as Latin America and the Caribbean have demonstrated through the Tlatelolco Treaty. Likewise, my country defends the right to the peaceful use of nuclear energy and conformity with international treaties and under the supervision of the IAEA. Mr. President, there are no good uses for nuclear weapons. Their total elimination is the only guarantee against their use or the threat of their use. It is our responsibility to ensure that the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are never repeated. is essential to preserve the testimony of the victims in order to protect current and future generations from this threat. In conclusion, Mr. President, colleagues, I would like to reiterate the commitment of Ecuador to work together with the international community, with civil society, the academia, and societies affected around the world for a world free of nuclear weapons. Thank you.

I want to thank the representative of Ecuador, and I give the floor to Ukraine.

Mr. President, let me remind the UN member states that Ukraine has made a unique contribution to global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime by joining the NPT as a non-nuclear weapon state. Let me recall that it was Ukraine that made a choice unprecedented in history. we voluntarily surrendered the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world, inherited from the Soviet Union. Let me also remind you that in return, Ukraine received security assurances from nuclear weapon states, including Russia. They reaffirmed their commitment to respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and existing borders, and their obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force against Ukraine. Tragically, all those commitments were not honored. Many Ukrainians are convinced today that had our government not given up these nuclear weapons, Russia would never have dared to attack Ukraine. And perhaps they are right. Russia not only violated all its international legal obligations and launched a treacherous and barbaric, unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, over the past years, we have also heard repeated and explicit threats to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Let me just mention one example. On July 30, 2023, Mr. Medvedev stated, and I quote, "Imagine if the offensive of Ukraine was a success, we would be forced to use a nuclear weapon." End quote. So it is precisely the failure of the international community to respond forcefully to these blatant violations that has become the greatest challenge to the nuclear nonproliferation regime. Russia is trampling on the UN Charter every single day, with its soldiers' boot on Ukrainian soil and with daily ballistic and drone strikes against schools and hospitals. And the failure to respond decisively has seriously undermined the very credibility of the nonproliferation regime itself. To conclude, Mr. President, we can only restore trust in nuclear disarmament if the international community, if the Security Council would force Russia to stop its barbaric war of aggression against Ukraine. We can only reestablish credibility of nonproliferation once a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace is achieved and once Ukraine is provided with ironclad, legally binding security guarantees. I thank you.

I thank Ukraine and give the floor to Tajikistan.

Thank you, Mr. President, distinguished delegates. Tajikistan welcomes the convening of this meeting. Tajikistan knows the cost of the nuclear legacy firsthand. Uranium from our country's deposits was used in the Soviet nuclear program and contributed to the development of the first industrial nuclear reactor of the Soviet Union. As a result, uranium production waste dumps and tailings facilities remain in our country. Thanks to joint efforts within the framework of the CIC program, the remediation of the Tabashar sites in the city of Istiqlol was completed in 2023, and radiation levels there have been reduced to natural background levels. However, the Dakhmoy tailings facility still require urgent remediation. The government is implementing the second state program for 2025-2030 in close cooperation with the IAEA. Second, nuclear security. With the support of the UNOC and the EU, the Republic of Tajikistan is implementing a program to preventing the illicit trafficking of radioactive materials through the provision of technical equipment to our border services. Appropriate equipment has already been installed at 15 border crossing points. In 2022, Tajikistan ratified the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. In 2025, our Agency of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Safety was designated an IAEA collaborating center for nuclear security. Third, the regional dimension. This month marks 20 years since the signing of the Treaty on a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia. On 8 September, the foreign ministers of the five Central Asian states once again reaffirmed their commitment to the treaty and expressed hope for the early ratification by the United States of America of the Protocol of Safeguards. Tajikistan was among the first states to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1998. We call for its early entry into force. Nuclear-weapon States must fulfil their obligations under Article VI of the NPT. Mr. President, in his message, the Secretary-General warned that the threat of nuclear catastrophe is real and growing. A world free of nuclear weapons is possible. Tajikistan stands ready to continue contributing to the achievement of this common goal. Thank you for your attention.

I thank Tajikistan, and I give the floor to Panama.

Thank you. President, Panama is grateful for the organization of this commemorative meeting to promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. We address this Assembly convinced that the elimination of nuclear weapons continues to be a collective responsibility that we cannot postpone. In an international context marked by growing tensions, preserving peace requires reaffirming the value of diplomacy, international law, and multilateralism. Latin America and the Caribbean know the value of having opted for a different path. The Tlatelolco Treaty converted our region in the first densely populated area of the world free of nuclear weapons and demonstrated that it is possible to build collective security without resorting to these arsenals. This year, we received new warning signs. The 11th Review Conference of the Treaty of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ended without achieving consensus on a substantive outcome. In addition to that, there's an absence of limits agreed regarding strategic nuclear arsenals of the two largest nuclear powers after the expiration of the New START Treaty. The recent events remind us that concerns in the area of proliferation must be addressed with seriousness, transparency, and full respect of international obligations. Independent verification is indispensable to build trust, but also we must preserve opportunities for diplomacy and dialogue. Force, brute force cannot be a substitute for negotiation, nor can it offer by itself lasting solutions to the challenges of nonproliferation. President. While nuclear weapons continue to exist, we have a responsibility to reduce the risks associated with their existence. The rapid development of artificial intelligence and its growing incorporation into military systems raises new challenges. This is why Panama considers it fundamental that the responsibility and final decision always remain in the hands of human beings. Panama also reiterates the urgency of ensuring the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and urges states whose ratification continues to be necessary to adopt the necessary decisions to achieve this goal. We cannot allow that the insecurity of the present determines security of the future. Thank you.

I thank Panama And I give the floor to the Holy See.

States have a fundamental responsibility to safeguard the security of their peoples. However, security cannot be reduced to the accumulation of military power, nor can a more secure world be built through the continued expansion and modernization of nuclear arsenals. The idea of seeking greater security through perpetual reliance on nuclear weapons the use of which would have catastrophic consequences for humanity is a profound contradiction. This contradiction is particularly troubling in the current international context. As Pope Leo XIV recently warned, we are witnessing a real paradigm shift in public discourse and in decisions regarding armament with a troubling revival of war as an instrument of international politics. In the nuclear field, this shift is evident in the renewed prominence of nuclear weapons in strategic doctrines and rhetoric contemplating their possible use, as well as in the gradual erosion of the arms control and disarmament architecture that has been built up over decades. The progressive integration of artificial intelligence into nuclear system introduces an additional layer of risk by compressing decision-making timelines and introducing new sources of error and opacity, these technologies may increase the risk of escalation and miscalculation while putting greater pressure on human judgment. Mr. President, reversing these trends requires a renewed commitment to multilateralism, arms control and disarmament. Dialogue and cooperation remain essential to restoring trust, reducing nuclear risks, and creating the conditions for meaningful progress towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. In this regard, the Holy See deeply regrets that the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons failed to reach a consensus on a substantive outcome. However, this should not diminish the commitment to the treaty, but rather strengthen the determination to preserve its integrity and advance the full implementation of its three mutually reinforcing pillars, including the obligation under Article VI to pursue negotiations in good faith towards nuclear disarmament. It is equally important to continue to support the mandate and safeguard system of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Holy See reiterates its strong support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and encourages all states that have not yet done so to join it as an essential step toward a world free of nuclear weapons. As a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty marks its 30th anniversary, my delegation like wise renews its call for its entry into force and for further progress in bilateral and multilateral arms control. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the Holy See for your intervention, and I now give the floor to Thailand.

Thailand aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We commemorate this International Day at a very critical moment. Just four months ago, the 11th Review Conference of the NPT ended with now an outcome for the third consecutive time. In just two months, State Parties will come together for the first Review Conference of the TPNW. Against this backdrop, Thailand wishes to highlight three priorities. First, we need to turn commitments into concrete and verifiable action. Nuclear disarmament is more urgent than ever, especially at a time when the risk of nuclear weapons being used are increasing. Thailand calls on the nuclear weapons states to fulfill their obligations under Article VI of the NPT in good faith through concrete, measurable, and time-bound measures guided by the principles of irreversibility, verifiability and transparency. The lack of consensus at the review conference does not lessen this obligation, nor does it erase commitments made in the past. We call on all State Parties to uphold them and to show the political will needed to restore the confidence in the review process. Second, we must advance our humanitarian objectives. The catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons concern us all. 30 years ago, the International Court of Justice concluded that the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to international humanitarian law. Thailand, therefore, welcomes the first international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation We also look forward to the report of the Independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War. As a state party to the TPNW, Thailand will carry this momentum forward into the first review conference. Third, we need to reinforce the complementarity among the different instruments, the NPT, the CTBT, the TPNW, and the nuclear weapon-free zone treaties, including the Bangkok Treaty, all reinforce one another. With Ireland, Thailand will continue its work as informal co-facilitator on complementarity, helping to strengthen the links among these instruments. We also call for the early entry into force of the CTBT and urge the nuclear weapons states to sign and ratify the protocol to the Bangkok Treaty without reservations. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank you, Representative I thank Thailand, and I give the floor League of Arab States.

Thank you, President. Allow me to speak in Arabic.

Mr. President, as we commemorate this International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, we wish to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment our commitment to one of the most pressing and longstanding commitments of the United Nations, that of definitively banning humanity of these weapons which constitute an existential threat. We are very much concerned, in light of the exacerbation of geostrategic tensions and diminution of trust at the international level, the nuclear and the obstacles to the arms control regime. We know that nuclear weapons are being updated and there's a new arms race, which is posing a threat with a deliberate or non-deliberate use of such weapons. We support the NPT and the balance between the three pillars. And in this regard, we deplore the failure of the review conference in 2026, its failure to adopt an outcome consensus-based document. This is the third consecutive time that this occurred. We call for the full integral fulfillment of all the commitments, beginning with disarmament commitments under Article VI. The threat mitigation measures under no circumstances should constitute an alternative to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. We are following with great concern the incorporation of AI into command and controls and early warning systems. And in this respect, any decision to use the system as at all times must be under the control and full responsibility of human beings. The credibility of the nonproliferation regime can only be full- has not been fully achieved in the Middle East, and this is because Israel remains the only state in the region, non-state party to the NPT, which is not bringing its facilities under the IAEA safeguards oversight regime. For this reason, we once again call upon Israel to join the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon state and to submit all of its facilities to the general safeguards. the comprehensive safeguards, we believe that the establishment of a nuclear zone free of nuclear weapons and other WMDs in the Middle East remains an imperative at the international level. We applaud progress achieved during the International Conference on the Establishment of Said Zone, and we look forward to continuing this process during the seventh session under the chairmanship of the Sultanate of Oman. To conclude, the League of Arab States will spare no effort as we seek to achieve a nuclear weapons-free zone and to guarantee security and equal footing for all states in the region. Thank you.

I thank the League of Arab States, and I now give the floor to the African Union.

Thank you, Mr. President. In the context of current geopolitics, the subject of the elimination of nuclear weapons is an increasingly relevant topic. and efforts to advocate for the prohibition of nuclear weapons are more relevant than ever. Current multidimensional tensions across the world are arguably testing the agility of the international community against nuclear warfare. Africa has long recognized the importance of denuclearization, beginning with the OAU's 1964 decision, later endorsed by the UN. The African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, Treaty of Pelindaba of 1996, in force since 2009, establishes Africa as a nuclear weapon free zone while permitting the peaceful use of nuclear science. The Pelindaba Treaty legally prohibits the research, development, stockpiling, testing, and stationing of nuclear explosive devices on African soil and its surrounding islands. The African Commission on Nuclear Energy plays an important role in bolstering compliance, maintaining safeguards, and fostering regional security cooperation. The continent speaks with moral clarity derived from rejecting weapons of mass destruction and prioritizing human security. We express deep concern over the dangerous slowdown in global disarmament and the massive financial reinvestments major nuclear powers are making in the modernization of their arsenals. Any use of nuclear weapons would trigger catastrophic and irreversible humanitarian and environmental devastation. We recall that the illegal exploitation of Africa's natural resources can contribute to nuclear catastrophe. Uranium from Africa under colonial rule contributed to the production of bombs used against Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Today, African Union member states with uranium and other critical minerals need to work in a united manner to ensure transparent and fair agreements that guarantee local benefits, environmental protection, skills development, and technology transfer, while ensuring Africa's resources serve peaceful development and not destructive purposes. While there is an absence of consensus on the outcomes of the 11th Review Conference held in May 2026, the Africa Group secured the retention of sovereign choices languages, which recalls on all States Parties to respect each country's decisions related to peaceful uses of nuclear energy, taking into account the needs of developing countries. Complementing these efforts, initiatives such as the African Union Fellowship on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, launched in 2025 by the AU, equip regional stakeholders with the expertise and diplomatic skills needed to promote stability. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of the African Union, and I now give the floor to the Pan-African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation for Africa.

Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, on behalf of the Permanent Observer Mission of Pan-African Intergovernmental Agency for Water and Sanitation, I thank you for convening this meeting. Our mission works for one purpose, that every person has safe water and dignified sanitation. We speak today because nuclear weapons threaten that purpose more completely than almost anything else. Water has no borders. Radioactive contamination does not stop at a frontier, a river, or an aquifer. Nuclear testing has already left lasting legacies in land and water, including the Algerian Sahara, where tests were carried out in the 1960s. Any use of nuclear weapons today will poison rivers, lakes, and groundwater for generations. It would destroy the water, power, and health systems that communities depend on, and it could disrupt rainfall and harvest far beyond the countries directly involved. No water or sanitation system in the world could withstand such catastrophe. Africa has made its choice. Through the Pelindaba Treaty, our continent is a nuclear-weapon-free zone. We urge all States to move with the same resolve towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Mr. President, our mission champions science-based solutions, and science points in two directions. First, science tells us the true cost of nuclear weapons. Research on nuclear testing and its effect on the environment and health must guide disseminating policy, and communities affected by past testing must receive assistance and environmental remediation, including the restoration of safe water. Second, science can serve peace. The same nuclear science that built weapons of destruction can protect life. Isotope techniques help map and manage groundwater, trace pollutions, and plan for drought. Worked in International Atomic Energy Agency support in many African countries. Every dollar spent on a nuclear arsenal is a dollar not spent on the pipes, wells, treatment, plants, and toilets that billions of people still lack. Mr. President, WASA is not going to make suggestions, but rather remind us that water sustains life. Nuclear weapons threaten to end it. The choice before us is clear. Our mission and farm is support for the total elimination of nuclear weapons and for redirecting science, investment, and cooperation towards the needs of people and the planet. Let us build a world where water is shared as a source of peace. and never treated as a casualty of war. I thank you.

I thank you for your statement, and I now give the floor to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Thank you, Mr. President, Excellencies. I am honored to deliver this statement on behalf of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In January 1946, less than six months after the horrific destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by nuclear weapons and the loss of more than 140,000 lives, the UN General Assembly addressed nuclear disarmament as its very first action. Acting by consensus, the GA established a commission charged with making specific proposals for the elimination of atomic weapons from national armaments. 80 years later, the world seems to be walking backward and away from the goal of nuclear disarmament. Amid growing international and regional tensions, nuclear rhetoric has increased alarmingly, including explicit and implicit threats to use nuclear weapons. We are alarmed by both these developments and by the lack of urgent and focused collective response. Earlier this year, the 11th Review Conference of the NPT ended without agreement on a final document for a third consecutive time. Excellencies, the Japanese Red Cross was present when Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed, and it is today still responding to the effects. Our movement knows firsthand the horrific reality of nuclear weapons and the unacceptable human suffering they cause. Humanitarian consequences are what led the General Assembly to adopt its first resolution, and they are what drives the consistent call by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons. The TPNW, which completes the international legal regime comprehensively prohibiting nuclear weapons, and weapons of mass destruction is now signed or ratified by 101 states. Its prohibition of nuclear weapons supports the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, thereby advancing implementation of Article VI of the NPT. We therefore reiterate our call on all states to adhere to the TPNW without further delay. Joining this treaty is a practical and effective step toward the ultimate goal of the NPT, namely to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. Excellencies, in conclusion, we call on all states to pursue practical measures to reduce the risk of nuclear weapons being used. First, consistently and visibly highlight the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons. Second, condemn any threats to use nuclear weapons and any other rhetoric that erodes the taboo against their use. And third, ensure compliance with international humanitarian law at all times and undertake IHL compatibility assessments of current nuclear doctrines. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the International Committee for the Red Cross. We will now hear statements by civil society. I'd like to give the floor to the representative of Peace Boat.

Thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity. Peace Boat has traveled with over 180 hibakusha, atomic bomb survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, sharing their testimonies worldwide. Through our global voyages, we also engage with survivors of nuclear testing, youth from affected islands, indigenous communities impacted by uranium mining, and nuclear disaster victims from all over the world known as global hibakusha. As an International Steering Group member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, we call on all states to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to ensure no one suffers as those survivors did. As part of the Japan Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, we urge Japan to not only maintain its three non-nuclear principles, but also to sign and ratify the TPNW as soon as possible. Listening to the testimonies of the hibakusha who survived injuries, loss of loved ones, and the total destruction of their cities, and still suffer from medical and social and psychological impacts even 81 years later, makes clear that nuclear weapons are an issue of human rights and dignity. Today, nuclear weapons are developed in the name of national security and deployed under the theory of deterrence. In reality, what is threatened is our own right to live in peace. We welcome this month's first ever UN meeting on nuclear victims assistance and environmental remediation. As discussed, nuclear weapons use, testing, and production have brought immense suffering and environmental contamination worldwide. Such harm will continue as long as these weapons are developed and maintained, and we must stop this injustice now. We hope that discussions on concrete measures, including establishing an international trust fund and a gender-sensitive approach, will advance at the upcoming TPNW First Review Conference. The key is the participation of people impacted by nuclear weapons themselves in the design and implementation of such measures. Furthermore, we are alarmed at the buildup of nuclear arsenals by the nine nuclear-armed states, both in quantity and quality, and horrified at the increased risk of a nuclear war. We thus call on all states concerned to stop developing or deploying new nuclear weapons, including so-called tactical nuclear weapons, never resume nuclear test explosions, and to cease all nuclear testing, including subcritical tests, and stop missile tests and exercises for the delivery of nuclear weapons. We strongly reject the concept of usable tactical nuclear weapons. Such so-called low-yield weapons still have almost the same explosive power or even more than Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs. We must never repeat the catastrophe. Finally, we urge all UN member states to participate in the upcoming TPNW first review conference, reaffirm the unacceptable humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, and declare a joint commitment to their total elimination. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Peace Boat. So we've come to the last statement of this high-level meeting of the General Assembly to celebrate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. I want to express my sincere gratitude to all the participants for your contributions and ideas that you have shared with us at this high-level meeting. Consequently, we have concluded this high-level meeting. The meeting is adjourned.

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