International Meeting on Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to welcome you to the International Meeting on Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation. I would like also to take this opportunity to welcome High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu. At the kind invitation of the Secretary-General, I have the honour to co-chair this meeting together with my distinguished colleague from Kiribati. Today's meeting is convened pursuant to General Assembly resolutions 79/60 and 80/56, both co-sponsored by Kazakhstan and Kiribati. By resolution 79/60, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to convene a one-day international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation, invited Member States to share their views and relevant experience, encouraged participants to produce a series of recommendations based on the discussions, and requested the Secretary-General to report on those recommendations to Member States. By resolution 80/56, the General Assembly decided that this meeting would take place at United Nations Headquarters with the participation of Member States, observer States and observers of the General Assembly. The General Assembly also decided to invite relevant United Nations agencies, civil society, representatives from civil society, scientists, representatives of communities affected by the use, production and testing of nuclear weapons, and academia. I would like to note that the meeting is being webcast live on United Nations Web TV. Interpretation is available in the six official languages of the United Nations. We shall now proceed to the adoption of the agenda. The provisional agenda is contained in document A/AC.305/2026/CRP.1. It has been posted on the website of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, and the relevant link was circulated to all delegations. As per the provisional agenda, during the morning session, we will hear opening statements followed by the general exchange of views. During the general exchange of views, we will first hear from Member States and observers. We will then hear from representatives of relevant United Nations entities, international and regional organizations, followed by representatives of affected communities and civil society. The afternoon session, beginning at 3:00 p.m., will be chaired by my distinguished co-chair from Kiribati and will be devoted to a panel discussion on victim assistance and environmental remediation, experiences, lessons learned, and international cooperation, followed by an interactive exchange. May I take that this meeting wishes to adopt the provisional agenda as contained in document A/AC.305/2026/CRP.1. I see no objections. It is also decided. Dear delegates, we will now proceed to the opening remarks of our meeting. It is my honor to give the floor to Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. The floor is yours.

Thank you very much. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, colleagues, and dear friends, it is a pleasure to join you today on behalf of the Secretary-General and to welcome you to this international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation. The Secretary-General, who is travelling at the moment, sends his warm greetings to all participants and his best wishes for a productive and substantive meeting. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Governments of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan for their leadership in bringing us together for this important discussion. I would also like to thank all participants for being with us today, especially those representatives of affected communities, the victims of poisonous legacy of nuclear use and testing. And I welcome the members of international organizations, civil society, academia, and the scientific community. I look forward to hearing your expert views. The General Assembly has provided us with a clear purpose for today's meeting, to exchange experiences and views, advance international cooperation, and identify practical ways to support people and communities affected by the use and testing of nuclear weapons. The consequences of nuclear weapons do not end when an explosion is over. As the enduring suffering of the hibakusha, the survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the legacy of more than 2,000 nuclear tests around the world make clear, the effects of nuclear weapons persist for decades and across generations. These consequences affect human health and well-being. They disrupt livelihoods, communities, and traditional ways of life. They leave lasting impacts on land, water, and the broader environment. Addressing these consequences cannot be achieved through short-term measures. It requires sustained national efforts, appropriate expertise and resources, and effective international cooperation. Allow me to highlight a few practical considerations as we begin our discussions today. First, affected people and communities must remain at the center of our efforts. Their experiences are essential to understanding both the nature of the harm they have suffered and the assistance that can make a meaningful difference in their lives. This means listening to affected communities and ensuring their meaningful participation in decisions that concern them. Their knowledge and expertise can help identify priorities, improve the design of assistance, and ensure that measures taken respond to actual needs and circumstances. Victim assistance can take different forms depending on national circumstances and the needs of those affected. It may include access to appropriate health care, long-term health monitoring, psychological support, as well as measures addressing social and economic consequences. No single model will apply everywhere. What matters is that assistance is accessible, responsive to identified needs, and sustained over time. Second, Environmental remediation also requires a long-term approach. States and communities affected by nuclear weapons use and testing need reliable information about environmental impacts and access to the scientific technical expertise necessary to determine appropriate responses. This may involve assessing affected areas, monitoring environmental conditions, and identifying measures that can reduce risks and support the safe and sustainable use of land and natural resources. Here, international cooperation has a particularly important role to play. Not every affected state has access to all the technical capacities or resources it may require. Sharing scientific knowledge, expertise and lessons learned can strengthen national efforts and help ensure that existing experience is put to wider use. Third, we should make better use of the considerable experience and capacities that already exist. Governments, affected communities International organizations, scientific institutions, academia and civil society have accumulated important knowledge throughout the nuclear age. Some states have developed extensive experience in providing health and social support to affected populations. Others have undertaken environmental monitoring and remediation activities. International and regional organizations possess expertise that can contribute to these efforts, while affected communities themselves hold knowledge that cannot be obtained from scientific or technical assessments alone. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, TPNW, has also provided an important framework through its articles on victim assistance, environmental remediation, and international cooperation and assistance. States parties and relevant stakeholders continue to develop practical approaches to their implementation. A key challenge before us now is how to bring these different forms of knowledge and capacity together. International cooperation can help strengthen national capacities through training, technical assistance, information sharing and institutional partnerships. Where resources are limited, financial assistance can also be important in enabling affected states and communities to undertake and sustain necessary activities and initiatives. Fourth and finally, our efforts must be sustainable. The impacts we are discussing today are often measured in decades, not years. Responses therefore cannot depend solely on individual projects or temporary initiatives. Continuity matters. National institutions need the capacity to preserve knowledge and experience. Scientific and health information may need to be maintained over long periods. At the multilateral level, sustained cooperation and institutional engagement are equally important to ensure that expertise, assistance and lessons learned remain available over time. Communities need confidence that support will not disappear when a particular project or funding cycle comes to an end. International cooperation should support this longer term perspective. This meeting provides a valuable opportunity to examine these questions together. I therefore encourage all participants to focus on concrete experience throughout today's discussions. What approaches have worked? What challenges continue to prevent effective assistance? Where are the most significant gaps in national capacity? What forms of international cooperation have proved useful? And where could better coordination, stronger partnerships, or additional resources make a tangible difference? I also encourage us to listen carefully to the voices of affected communities represented here today. Their participation is not only important in principle, it is essential to understand where existing approaches are succeeding, where they are falling short, and what priorities should guide further efforts. We're not starting from zero. There is significant experience to draw upon, knowledge to share, and expertise that can be mobilized. There is also growing international recognition that addressing the humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons requires sustained attention and practical cooperation. I hope that this meeting will help identify areas where international efforts can translate, above all, into tangible support for affected people and communities, and into effective environmental remediation. I wish you a productive and constructive meeting. I thank you very much for your attention.

I thank the High Representative of Foreign Affairs, Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, for her inspiring statement and for the kind words addressed to the governments of the co-chairs. I now have the honour to give the floor to Ms. Masako Wada, Assistant Secretary General of the Japan Confederation of A and H Bomb Sufferers Organizations, Nihon Hidankyo. The floor is yours.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you for this opportunity to speak before you. I am Hibakusha, a survivor of atomic bombing of Nagasaki in 1945. I was inside a house located 2.9 kilometers from the hypocenter when the bomb exploded. then I was only one year and 10 months old and have no memories of that day myself. So I am sharing the story as told to me by my mother. Thanks to the terrain of Nagasaki, which is surrounded by mountains, I survived without suffering any direct injuries or burns. The blast destroyed all the furniture, doors, and windows inside the house. The earthen walls crumbled and debris piled 30 centimeters high on the tatami mats. My mother saw a procession of chocolate-colored people, indistinguishable as men or women, staggering down the mountains. mountain pass from the epicenter like a line of ants. Carrying me on her back, she went to the well in the backyard where she washed the wounds and people who had come seeking help and water using old clothes as temporary bandages. On the vacant lot next door, bodies loaded into garbage carts were cremated every day. My mother, who had been sent from our neighborhood to help at the makeshift aid station, fainted at the sight of people with unspeakable injuries and burns. Her subsequent last task was to brush off and remove the worming maggots around the wounds of the victims lying on the floor. Later on, she would occasionally speak of those days when she felt as she had lost her humanity. Every August, she felt that same smell return. She used to say, people weren't born just to be burned like trash. Beneath that mushroom cloud were people, each with a name, loved ones, family, and lives that matters more than anything else. Under U.S. occupation, strict censorship was imposed on press reports about the atomic bombings, and the hibakusha were never informed of the cause of the physical and mental suffering and grief. As a result, they were forced to remain silent amid the discrimination and prejudice they faced from society. In September 1945, Brigadier General Thomas Farrell, deputy head of the US Manhattan Project, visited Japan. At the press conference, he made remarks to the effect that in Hiroshima, those who were doomed to die had already died, and there were no one suffering from radiation. This led to the closure of all temporary relief stations. People died without knowing why they were dying. And the number of deaths spread in concentric circles from the hypocenter. By the end of December 1945, about 140,000 people had died in Hiroshima and 70,000 in Nagasaki. 65% of them were children, women, and the elderly. And only 4% died attended by their families. Many were burned like garbage, their identities unknown. Those cremated by their families may have been the fortunate ones. The hibakusha who survived 70 years under US occupation endured a forced silence, grappling with survivor's guilt, illness, and poverty, and had to give up many of their dreams. Abandoned by the governments of Japan and the United States, they lived under this forced silence. In 1954, following the Bikini incident, a hydrogen bomb test conducted by the United States at Bikini Atoll, the Japanese public, having come to understand the dangers and the horrors of radiation, launched a signature campaign for total ban on nuclear weapons. The movement spread like wildfire across the nation, gathering more than 30 million signatures and ultimately leading to the convening of the first world conference against A and H bombs. Hibakusha, who had remained silent until then, came forward hoping their voices would be heard. Eleven years after the atomic bombings, in 1956, the Japan Confederation of A and H Bomb Sufferers Organization, Nihon Hidankyo, was established. The message to the world, its founding declaration proclaimed, We have reassured our will to save humanity from its crisis through the lessons learned from our experiences, while at the same time saving ourselves. Hibakusha's physical and emotional wounds have not yet healed, and putting their experiences into words might draw them back to that time. but their noble pledge that no one else should ever have to go through the same suffering moves me deeply. Saving oneself meant not only receiving aid but also gaining strength and finding salvation by taking on that mission through the movement. And today, we are here to discuss assistance for nuclear victims and environmental remediation. The core demands of Nihon Hidankyo's 70-year movement have been the abolition of nuclear weapons and the state compensation for the atomic damage. Through our own struggle, we have achieved an attachment of the following through laws. First one, A-bomb Sufferers Medical Care Law, March 1957, the law established the hibakusha certificate system proving health examination for the certified hibakusha. Second one, law concerning special measures for A-bomb sufferers, May 1968. The survey on the Ibaksha conducted for the first time by the Ministry of Health in 1965 revealed their difficult economic situation leading to the enactment of this law proving several kind of allowance for them. And the third one, law concerning relief to Atomic Bomb Survivors, A-bomb Survivors Relief Law, December 1994. This law combined the two previous laws while denying, while continuing to deny the state compensation to those killed by the atomic bombs. The law remained limited to the framework of Social Security measures for the survivors. The foremost victims, foremost victims were those who were killed, those who were unable to return home within two weeks of the atomic bombings, such as evacuated orphans, and those who returned from the battlefield only to find their entire families had perished were unable to obtain the hibakusha certificate and were therefore all excluded from receiving benefits. Consequently, Nihon Hidankyo continues to demand a new law that can truly be called a hibakusha aid law. Why does Nihon Hidankyo demand state compensation rather than social security? It is because the war was started by the state. The Japanese government stands that citizens must endure the loss of their lives, physical bodies, livelihood, and mental well-being resulting from that war amounts to a refusal to take responsibility for future wars, which is absolutely unacceptable even today. Nihon Hidankyo continues its struggle to seek revisions to the current law. Regarding the global consequences of nuclear damage, responsibility lies with the countries that use nuclear weapons, their allies, and those that repeatedly conducted nuclear tests. I propose that we begin this conference by learning about and empathizing with the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, an absolute evil that indiscriminately killed more than 201,000 people in an instant, as if it were our own personal experience. Once nuclear weapons are used, there is no such thing as a priority for aid. No country or international organization has the means to provide relief. Doctors and nurses would also be exposed to radiation. What direction is the world with more than 12,000 nuclear weapons heading? What would humanity hope for in a world where everything has been destroyed? Saving the world from its crisis in turn means saving ourselves. Nuclear weapons are neither a force for justice nor the source of power. Today, we are witnessing first-hand the reality that even possessing nuclear weapons cannot bring an end to war. This is because we know there is something that should never have been used and must never be used. We must not create any more global hibakusha. For 70 years, we have continued to speak out because we do not want anyone in the world to go through the same experiences that we have. We earnestly hope that the wisdom of humanity will be brought together through the United Nations so that the feeling, appeals, and efforts of the hibakusha will not be in vain. No more war. No more hibakusha. Thank you very much.

I thank Assistant Secretary General of Nihon Kodankyo, Ms. Masako Wada, for her very tragic and emotional statement with very practical and constructive recommendations. Thank you. Now I have the honour to give the floor to Mr. Karibek Kuyukov, artist and anti-nuclear activist from Kazakhstan and representative of an affected community, which will be followed by a short film about Mr. Kuyukov. Mr. Kuyukov, the floor is yours.

I would like to express my gratitude for the invitation and the opportunity to speak before you today. I would also like, on behalf of the victims of nuclear testing, to thank the United Nations General Assembly, which in 1992 voted in favor of Kazakhstan's proposal to declare August 29th the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. The Nevada-Semipalatinsk Movement, was included on the Memory of the World Register, the test site which for 40 years from 1949 to 1989 claimed millions of lives. was closed with the direct involvement of the international anti-nuclear movement, Nevada Semipalatinsk, which was founded and led by an outstanding figure of our time, Ozdas Omarovich Suleymanov. In 1989, we held a televised question and answer session with Hiroshima, and it was then that the Japanese people first learned what had been happening for 40 years at Kazakhstan's nuclear test site. Over the course of several weeks, we coordinated our plans and actions with American civic organizations such as Physicians Against Nuclear War, Parliamentarians for Global Action, and others. I spoke at every anti-war conference and took part in protest rallies at the gates of test sites in Kazakhstan and in Nevada in the US, where together with a Shoshone tribal leader, we demanded an end to nuclear testing. The attention we received was understandable. For the first time, a Soviet non-governmental organization had spoken out against the all-powerful military industrial complex. In those days, the decree of the president of the Kazakh Socialist Republic, Nursultan Nazarbayev closing the Semipalatinsk test site resonated loudly throughout the world. That took place on August 29, three months before the creation of the independent Republic of Kazakhstan. The consequences of that decree were remarkable, and international moratorium on nuclear weapons testing began. A year later, in 1992, the explosions in Nevada stopped. Then France's more Aurora test site in the Pacific Ocean fell silent and in 1996 China's test site in the Lob Nor desert was shut down the world had heard of semipalatinsk yes testing was halted but nuclear arsenals still continue to grow the international situation is becoming more tense flash points are turning into entire volatile regions If radicals were to gain access to one of the world's nuclear arsenals, the whole earth would go up in flames. Endless military conflicts around the planet has brought us to a point where nearly 20 countries now possess nuclear technologies. And given today's arms race, test sites could become active again at any moment. That is why Kazakhstan's experience of fighting for a nuclear-free world must resonate in every country on the planet. Today, from this foremost rostrum of the world, I call on all peoples who are not indifferent in every country of the world to stand against the evil of the destructive use of nuclear technologies for military purposes. Remember, the first innocent victims of dirty wars are children. We must secure a safe world for them. I wish your families peace and well-being.

On August 29, 1949, the first Soviet nuclear explosion shook the Semipalatinsk test site. Over the next 40 years, At least 468 nuclear tests would be conducted here. Their combined yield would exceed the power of the Hiroshima bomb by two and a half thousand times. More than 1.3 million people would later be officially recognized as victims. One of them would be a boy born 19 years later. On July 18, 1968, a son was born to Teltai and Rimzhan Kuyukov in the village of Yagindybulak, Karaganda region. Before him, his mother had lost two boys, neither lived past their first year. Karabek survived, but he was born without both arms, a consequence of radiation from the test site. His mother prayed for only one thing, that he would live. And he did, against every prediction. At the age of six, his father took him to Leningrad, to the Institute of Prosthetics. A boarding school on the banks of the Neva River, near the cruiser Aurora, became his home for many years. There he learned to write with his foot, There he designed the school's wall newspapers. One day, he saw a man without arms painting with a brush held between his teeth. If he can do it, so can I. My feet are my hands, the boy told himself. That was the beginning of his journey as an artist. In 1987, After completing his studies in Zagorsk, near Moscow, Karabek returned to Kazakhstan. He was denied admission to an art school. The rector was unwilling to take responsibility. So he taught himself, studying library art albums and textbooks. His sister, Saule, stretched and primed his canvases. Then came a call from a museum. His first paintings had been purchased and taken to Germany. The payment was 19 times greater than his disability pension. It was a sign. His art mattered to people. A turning point came at a museum in Simi, where children who died as a result of radiation exposure are preserved in glass jars. I could have been one of them, the artist realized. and he made a vow to become the voice of those who could not speak for themselves. He joined the Nevada Semipalatinsk Anti-Nuclear Movement. For more than 35 years, the movement has united those who fight for a world free of nuclear weapons and preserve the memory of the consequences of nuclear testing. Karipbek collected the stories of 250 families with children affected by radiation, and organized charity exhibitions across the country and around the world. On August 29, 1991, the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was closed forever. His paintings have been exhibited in the United States and Dubai. A painting featuring a falcon was presented to Jean-Claude Van Damme. Another of his works was carried by a mountaineer to the summit of Denali, the highest peak in North America. He also endured his greatest personal loss. In 2010, within the span of eight months, he lost both his father and his mother. Yet he never gave up. Today, he lives in Karaganda with his sister Saule, his guardian angel. "People call us disabled," says Karibek Kuyukov, "but our abilities are not limited." An artist born without arms who became the voice of nuclear test victims, he proved one simple truth. The only real limits exist not in the body, but in the human mind.

I thank Mr. Kerber Kuyukov for his very passionate and proactive statement and for the film. I now give the floor to Ms. Josephine Mota to have a brief statement as co-chair of this meeting.

Thank you, co-chair. Excellency, Ms. Sumi Nakamitsu, Ms. Masako Wada, Mr. Kalbeck, Excellencies, distinguished representatives, colleagues and friends. Let me begin by sharing Hakiri best traditional blessing. When we come together, we say, come to me, a blessing that honors the gathering and the relationships within it. With a spirit of respect and unity, Kiribati is honored to join Kazakhstan as co-chair of this important meeting. We are deeply grateful to the Secretary General for bringing the international community together to advance focused and constructive discussions on victim assistance and environmental remediation. We are proud that this is the first ever international meeting dedicated specifically to victim assistance and environmental remediation. It's very convenient represents an important recognition that the legacy of nuclear weapons demands sustained international attention, not only to prevent future harm, but also to respond to the harm that has already been endured. As a state affected by nuclear testing, Kyrgyzstan has worked closely with Kazakhstan to advance international efforts on nuclear justice. We are encouraged that an overwhelming majority of member states supported our joint resolution on addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons, which requested the Secretary General to convene this one-day meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation. Today's meeting reflects the collective will of member states to deepen cooperation on these issues and to ensure sustained international attention to the humanitarian, environmental, and intergenerational dimensions. For Kittipat, the legacy of nuclear weapons remains a profound and enduring concern touching on human dignity, environmental stewardship, intergenerational justice and our shared responsibility to ensure that the suffering and consequences associated with nuclear weapons testing are neither forgotten nor left unaddressed. The powerful perspectives shared by our opening speakers remind us of the human reality behind this issue. They also underscore why our discussions today must look beyond recognition of the past and towards practical action that can support affected communities and address environmental consequences. As co-chair, Kidibessa looks forward to facilitating an open, inclusive and constructive exchange of experiences and perspectives. We hope that our discussions will help identify tangible avenues for strengthening victim assistance, advancing environmental remediation, support scientific research and knowledge sharing, mobilizing resources, and ensuring meaningful international cooperation. As an island nation, Kiribati knows the importance of protecting our environment, strengthening the resilience of our communities, and safeguarding the well-being of future generations. Our experience in responding to the climate change and sea level rise has reinforced the value of collective responsibility, international cooperation, and practical action. In that same spirit, we hope that today's discussion will help shape well-considered recommendations that can guide future efforts on victim assistance and environmental remediation. Their implementation will require sustained collective support, shared commitments and continued engagement from member states, the United Nations system, civil society, the scientific community and affected communities. Let this meeting be remembered not only for the experiences and lessons we share, but for the action they inspire. Let us turn remembrance into responsibility and responsibility into meaningful support for affected communities, restoration of affected environments, and a safer future for generations to come. Thank you.

I thank Josephine for your statement, and I would like to have a brief to have a brief statement in my capacity of co-chair of the meeting. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, I would now like to deliver a statement as co-chair of the meeting. We heard very emotional testimonies this morning, which remind us why this meeting matters. Both of the victims, they have flown 20 hours to come here to New York and to participate in this event. You know, with their health situation, it's quite a commitment. And I thank you for this passion and willingness to tell us about your tragic stories. The consequences of the testing and use of nuclear weapons can endure for decades and across generations, affecting human health and livelihoods, communities and the environment. Victim assistance and environmental remediation are fundamentally about people, about those who continue to live with these consequences, about responsibility to respond effectively to their needs. The voices of affected communities must remain at the heart of our work, as Ms Izumi Nakamitsu said. Their experience should inform not only our understanding of the consequences, but also the solutions we pursue. International cooperation is essential. Our task today is therefore not simply to describe the challenges, but to identify practical ways forward. The General Assembly has encouraged participants in this meeting to produce a series of recommendations based on our discussions. I therefore encourage all participants to share concrete experiences, lessons learned, and practical recommendations that can contribute to the implementation of the mandate as established by the General Assembly and help strengthen our collective efforts in this field. As co-chairs, Kazakhstan and Kiribati hope that today's discussion will be inclusive, constructive and forward-looking, and above all focused on making a tangible difference for affected individuals, communities and environments. I look forward to our exchange. I thank you. We will now proceed to the general exchange of views. Before we begin our deliberations, I would like to make a few organizational and procedural remarks. To facilitate the work of the interpreters, all speakers are kindly requested to provide copies of their statements. Statements should be sent electronically to estatements@un.org. Please indicate the room ECOSOC, the title of the meeting, and the name of your delegation or organization in the subject line. If you also wish your statement to be posted on United Nations website, please indicate this in your email. I would also remind all speakers that statements during the general exchange of views are limited to five minutes, and I kindly ask for your cooperation in observing the time limit so that we can accommodate all speakers. Should any delegation wish to exercise a right of reply, it is requested to inform the Secretariat at the list of speakers table accordingly, allowing sufficient time for the necessary arrangements. Rights of reply will be exercised at the end of the general exchange of views. I currently have 29 States inscribed on my list. Before I close the list of speakers, may I ask whether there are any other delegations wishing to take the floor under this item? If so, please indicate your request by pressing the speak button. I see none, so the list of speakers is closed. We will begin with statements by Member States and observers. I give the floor to the representative of Algeria to be followed by the representative of Mexico. Algeria, the floor is yours.

Co-chairs, Excellencies, distinguished participants. Yesterday, the General Assembly observed the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. This timing is fitting. Nuclear tests last a fraction of a second. Its consequences are measured in generations. This meeting is taking place because the international community has finally agreed to speak about these consequences policing victims and the environment at the center. Algeria comes to this chamber to share what six decades of living with the nuclear legacy have taught us. In the 60s, 17 nuclear detonations were conducted in the Algerian Sahara, four atmospheric at Reggane, 13 underground at Inekher. But the legacy is far wider. underground tests were only partially contained. From one, molten radioactive lava flowed out of the mountain and hardened where it lay. It is still there. The visible event is never the whole legacy. Around every site lies a wider geography of experiments, buried material and waste. Three lessons. First, The inventory is the beginning of everything. Remediation cannot be planned for terrain that has not been mapped. Our second lesson concerns human geography. Reggane and Ineiker are not empty spaces. Nomadic and pastoral communities move through these lands. The Sahara is not static. An assessment that was reasonable in 1999 cannot necessarily be treated as valid in 2026. Our third lesson is about time itself. Cesium-137 halves every 30 years. Plutonium-239 has a half-life of 24,000 years. It will last this chamber and this whole building. Communities near these sites carry the burden that physics imposes, illness, land they cannot cultivate, and the harm of uncertainty. Earlier this morning, we heard very moving testimonies from representatives of affected communities and also a no-deal video documentary. Algeria has monitored, fenced, and studies these sites. most affected states cannot complete this work alone. We propose four elements for the recommendations this meeting is tasked with. One, the sharing of technical and radiological data by testing states must be treated as a humanitarian obligation, an act of cooperation, not a concession. Two, long-term health surveillance must be recognized as a core component of victim assistance. Three, environmental assessments must be periodically renewed to reflect evolving human presence. Four, affected communities including pastoral populations and women must participate in designing their protection. In conclusion, co-chairs, More than 2,000 nuclear explosive tests have been conducted on this planet. Every one of them ended. No one of them is over. Let us treat this legacy as a live obligation through knowledge shared, victim assisted, and environment restored. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Algeria for his statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Mexico to be followed by the permanent representative of Cuba. Mexico, the floor is yours.

Thank you very much, co-chairs. Mexico welcomes the valuable initiative of Kazakhstan and Kiribati to convene a special meeting on assistance to victims and environmental remediation following the use or testing of nuclear weapons. We have taken note with interest of the information shared by High Representative Nakamitsu and by the testimonies that we have heard this morning. The multilateral debate on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation has focused primarily on the distinction between those who possess nuclear weapons and those who do not. Differences of opinion persist between those who seek to retain and modernize their nuclear arsenals in order to maintain security and those who seek to reduce or eliminate nuclear weapons in order to guarantee peace. The world has survived seven decades of nuclear madness, an unbridled race to manufacture and deploy ever more powerful and precise bombs and warheads. But it may not be able to do so for much longer. Today, the debate on the use of these weapons of mass destruction points us towards the responsibility arising from their devastating consequences. and the untold suffering of populations exposed to their effects. Decades of nuclear weapon use and testing have demonstrated that their indiscriminate consequences know no borders and do not end when a nuclear explosion ceases, whether accidental or deliberate. Their effects on human health and the environment persist for generations, and have repercussions for food security, the climate and development. The fate of civilization remains at stake for as long as these monstrous devices continue to exist. This is why Mexico has strongly advocated placing the grave humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons at the heart of United Nations deliberations on nuclear disarmament. Recognizing those consequences entails accepting responsibility. The international community has an inescapable duty to protect peoples from the risk of partial or total human annihilation. assistance to victims and remediation of affected environments must be undertaken on the basis of strengthened national capacities and must be underpinned by scientific evidence, international cooperation and fundamentally by addressing the needs of potentially affected individuals and communities. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons contains specific obligations in this area. Mexico recognises the work undertaken by the co-facilitators of Articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty, including discussions on possible mechanisms for mobilising resources for their implementation. The experience gained under the TPNW can provide useful input for the broader consideration of these issues across the United Nations as a whole. In this endeavour, we recognise the indispensable contribution of civil society, humanitarian organisations and the scientific community, and in particular of survivors. Hibakusha and communities affected by nuclear weapons use and testing, including indigenous peoples. Their knowledge, accumulated experience and testimony have been essential in documenting and bringing visibility to the human, environmental and intergenerational consequences of exposure to radiation. Coaches. The future of human civilization is bound up with its very capacity to survive and reinvent itself. Ultimately, therefore, this is about placing human beings, their dignity and their needs at the centre of disarmament and non-proliferation policies. Faced with the urgent need to raise our climate ambition and prevent new environmental crises, There is also an unequivocal imperative to eliminate the threat posed by nuclear weapons and nuclear testing. In this context, Mexico hopes that the recommendations emerging from this meeting will effectively contribute to strengthening international cooperation and assistance. thus facilitating the exchange of experience and scientific and technical knowledge and promoting concrete responses that address the needs of affected individuals, communities and environments. Thank you very much, Co-Chairs.

I thank the representative of Mexico for his statement and warm words addressed to the Co-Chairs. I would like to give the floor to the representative, permanent representative of Cuba, to be followed by Costa Rica. Ambassador of Cuba, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank you for convening this meeting, and we recognize the work of Kazakhstan and Kiribati in developing this initiative. We're also grateful for the statements made by the USG Nakamitsu and the emotional words of Madam Wada and Mr. Yubov. The launching of the atomic bombs by the United States on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the death and wounding of more than 200,000 people who died instantaneously over the course of a few months. This was one of the most abominable horrors of the war suffered by humanity. The members of many families are still suffering congenital failures because of the environmental pollution and other ongoing ecological damage passed on from one generation to the next. Productive economic activity has been damaged and, since then, natural areas have been changed as a result of detonations and the impact of radioactive material. The human and environmental damage caused by the use or testing of nuclear weapons is indiscriminate, uncontrollable, irreversible, goes through generations and persists over time, including its general capacity to produce radioactive pollution. In a context where the government of the United States is attempting to impose peace through force, the security of all peoples is at risk. It's ironic that it is that same government which, in a totally unjustified way, states that Cuba is a threat to its national security. has reinforced to unprecedented levels the economic, commercial and financial blockade, including a cruel energy freeze over the last eight months, and is threatening direct military action against my country. Cuba reaffirms its commitment to peace and to a world free of nuclear weapons based on cooperation, solidarity and absolute respect for the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter and for international law. Mr. President, the total elimination of all nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee to prevent their use or their testing and all of the humanitarian, environmental and material damage that goes with that. This firm conviction is what led to the adoption and entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. This is the first international legal instrument which, in the area of nuclear disarmament, categorically prohibits nuclear weapons and includes humanitarian issues in its purposes and principles. and for the first time the TPNW clauses reflect the growing international concern about the humanitarian and environmental dimensions of the possible use or testing of nuclear weapons based on evidence gathered by members of the international community over many years. The provisions contained in Article 6 contain an explicit reference to medical psychological care and economic and social reinsertion of the victims without discrimination. This element refers to the importance that TPNW attaches to the importance of human beings. Cuba would call for universalisation of ratification of this treaty, an indispensable step in order to ensure its implementation, particularly with regard to assistance to victims and to clear up the areas that have been polluted, particularly paying attention to communities affected by the use or the testing of nuclear weapons and respecting the sovereignty of every state. My country recognizes the important role of the structures of the Preparatory Committee for the Organization for the Complete Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, particularly its international data system and its international monitoring system with more than 300 sites around the world. Its work in assisting in the dismantling of former installations for nuclear testing and its analysis of the radiation to detect the presence of fissile material in the areas affected makes a direct contribution to assistance activities for victims and environmental remediation. As part of the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Test Ban Treaty, we would call upon all states that have not yet done so to ratify this without delay. The complementarity between the TPNW and the other treaty is a real possibility to move to concrete action and to settle a historic debt with all human beings who suffer the scourges of war. As part of the first region, densely populated region of the planet that has been declared a zone free of nuclear weapons and proclaimed as a zone of peace, Cuba can state that nuclear disarmament is a question of human survival. Thank you very much.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Cuba for his statement and one word addressed to the Co-Chairs. I now give the floor to the representative of Costa Rica to be followed by the representative of Kazakhstan.

Co-Chairs, Costa Rica recognises the work and commitment of Kazakhstan, Kiribati and the secretariat in organising and convening this meeting. More than 80 years after the beginning of nuclear war, its victims continue to be with us and tell us about the consequences in their bodies and their communities. and in their lands. More than 2,000 nuclear tests have contaminated the environment and led to intergenerational effects in terms of health and development. Recognizing this legacy is indispensable, but that's not enough. Our responsibility is to transform that knowledge into assistance, remediation and justice. And in this regard, Costa Rica would make the following points. Firstly, We must place victims and affected communities at the centre of our efforts. Assistance should fully address the damage caused medical and psychological care, rehabilitation, social inclusion and economic inclusion, and recovery of the economic means for subsistence. The knowledge of the victims should also be taken into account when we are designing, implementing and assessing policies that relate to them. The discussions as part of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons for a trust fund to help victims and to provide for environmental remediation would move from moral statements about the victims to a dialogue on instruments that really are able to produce tangible results. Secondly, assistance should also correspond to scientific evidence. The effects of radiation, ionizing radiation, are not uniform and that is seen in the various studies that have been carried out and the risks are higher for women and children. A fair response does not mean offering identical assistance to all of the victims, but what it does mean is responding in different ways to different levels of damage, and therefore assistance programmes must be inclusive and sensitive to gender and to age. And thirdly, protecting people also means remediating their environment. Nuclear pollution for decades can contaminate, pollute water and food and other means of subsistence and stop people returning to their lands. Environmental remediation, therefore, is inseparable from the protection of human rights, from sustainable development and our responsibility to protect future generations. However, International solidarity should not be understood as a substitute for accountability. Resolution 7960 recognises that the responsibility to address the damage caused by the use or the testing of nuclear weapons falls on the shoulders of those states that carried out those tests or used those weapons in accordance with international law. And we can also make a cooperation through technical and financial cooperation according to our capacity in helping states and communities that have been affected. Finally, The information is also a form of reparations. The states affected need access to scientific and technical information on exposure, contamination and its consequences. The transparency and exchange of data and access to relevant archival data is essential for repairing the damage that has been caused and to provide effective remediation. Co-chairs. A couple of days ago we commemorated the 30th anniversary of the closing of a nuclear testing site, and that also reminded us that our legacies don't have to determine our futures. This meeting gives us the opportunity. to make progress and move from memory to action and to build a framework for cooperation that will provide effective protection. The responsibility to provide a remediation in the areas that have been marked by nuclear weapons should be at the forefront of our minds. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Costa Rica for the statement. I now give the floor to the Director General of the Department for International Security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to be followed by Indonesia.

Thank you. Co-chairs, Excellencies, distinguished representatives of affected communities, colleagues, Kazakhstan welcomes the convening of this international meeting pursuant to the General Assembly resolution 79/60 and 80/56. We also thank the Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly and UNODA for organizing it. We particularly welcome the participation of affected communities, survivors, scientists, civil society, academia and relevant international organizations. And here I would like to commend the powerful statement delivered by Ms. Masaki Wada and Mr. Karibek Uyukov, by those who personally suffered from the consequences of nuclear weapon use and test. Your experience, courage, and the important messages you have conveyed to the world are deeply inspiring and give us hope for the future free of nuclear weapons. And for Kazakhstan, this is a matter of direct national experience. Between 1949 and 1989, 456 nuclear tests were conducted at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. Nearly one and a half million people were affected. and extensive territories were exposed to radioactive contamination. The closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site on August 29, 1991 ended nuclear testing on its territory, but it did not end its consequences. Affected people continue to face health, psychological, social, economic, and environmental harms. Some of these consequences extend across generations and require sustained national action and international cooperation. Kazakhstan has undertaken several measures on national level to provide medical and social support, conduct scientific research, monitor affected territories, and advance their rehabilitation. In 1992, Kazakhstan adopted the law that established radiation risk zone around the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and provided social protection based on residents' exposure and place of residence. The state scientific automated medical register established in 2002 records victims and their descendants radiation doses and health outcomes. Government funded research programs from 1991 to 2019 examined radiation related health effects, medical and social consequences, risk to descendants, environmental impacts and methods of treatment, rehabilitation, prevention. In July 2023, Kazakhstan established the Simplifying Zone of Nuclear Safety to restrict access to highly contaminated land, rehabilitate affected areas, transfer relatively clean land to public ownership, and conduct continuous radiation and environmental monitoring with 3.5 billion Tenge allocated until 2026. General Assembly Resolution 78/142 provides an important framework for international cooperation on human and ecological rehabilitation and economic development of the Semipalatinsk region. Kazakhstan's experience points to several priorities. First, affected individuals and communities must remain central to decision-making. Their need, experience and knowledge should inform the design, implementation and evaluation of assistance and remediation programs. Second, victim assistance should be comprehensive, accessible, non-discriminatory and responsive to age and gender. Third, environmental remediation should be based on sound scientific evidence. And fourth, access to relevant information is indispensable. and also it called to states who is in position to do so to provide appropriate technical and financial assistance. Dear colleagues, the TPNW provides an important framework for this work through Article 6 and 7. Together with Kiribati, Kazakhstan serves as a co-chair of the informal working group on victim assistance, environmental remediation and international cooperation and assistance. On August 3, earlier this year, the co-chair submitted their report on possible guidelines, technical provisions, and terms of reference for the International Trust Fund for Victims Assistance and Environmental Remediation from the consequences of nuclear weapons use and testing. The report recommends that state parties commence a formal process towards establishing the fund with detailed terms of reference to be negotiated by adoption by fourth meeting of state parties. It recommends that the fund be established with the United Nations consistent with the United Nations rules and procedures and administered by UNODA with the Committee of State Parties providing oversight and recommendation on projects. Under the proposed approach, contributions would be voluntary with eligibility criteria to be determined by State Parties. The fund could support projects addressing medical, psychological, socio-economic, cultural and environmental harms. The co-chairs also recommend that affect communities and relevant experts participate at the invitation of State Parties throughout the Fund's work, including in the design and review of projects. These recommendations remain subject to consideration and decision by State Parties. While the terms of reference are being negotiated, the report also proposes consideration of a database to match requests for assistance with available financial, technical and scientific support. The proposed fund would be one mechanism for implementing Article 6 and 7. It should complement national programs and broader international cooperation, not replace them. Kazakhstan encourage this meeting to produce practical series of recommendations focused on nationally led assessments, meaningful community participation, access to relevant information, coordinated technical assistance, and sustainable financing. Kazakhstan stands ready to continue working with all partners to advance effective victim assistance, environmental remediation, and international cooperation. I thank you.

I thank the Director-General of Kazakhstan for his statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia to be followed by the representative of Philippines. Indonesia, you have the floor.

Co-chairs, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, my delegation acknowledges the work of Kazakhstan and Kiribati in convening this important meeting. We welcome the opportunity to advance international efforts on victim assistance and environmental remediation for states affected by the use and testing of nuclear weapons. The legacy of nuclear weapons use and testing remains a profound humanitarian and environmental challenge. More than 2,000 nuclear explosive tests have been conducted worldwide, leaving lasting impacts on human health, livelihoods, ecosystems and socio-economic development. Many affected communities continue to face the consequences of contamination, displacement and intergenerational harm decades after these tests took place. My delegation expresses its solidarity with all States and peoples affected by the use and testing of nuclear weapons and would like to underline three points. First, we recognize the urgent need to strengthen international cooperation to support victims, address health and environmental consequences, and assist affected states in building the technical and institutional capacities necessary for long-term remediation efforts. Second, states that have used or tested nuclear weapons bear a particular responsibility to address the resulting humanitarian and environmental harm consistent with international law. In this context, we encourage the sharing of relevant scientific and technical information, as well as the provision of adequate assistance to affected states, guided by the needs and priorities of affected communities. Third, efforts to address past harm must be accompanied by measures to prevent future harm. We remain concerned by any possibility of resumption of nuclear testing and reaffirm the importance of maintaining testing moratoria and advancing the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Co-chairs, addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons is both a humanitarian imperative and a matter of justice. We are hoping that today's meeting could sustain international attention and provide practical recommendations that strengthen victims' assistance, environmental remediation, and international cooperation while advancing our shared objective of a world free of nuclear weapons. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Indonesia for the statement and now give the floor to the representative of Philippines to be followed by the representative of Austria. Philippines, the floor is yours.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the

Chairmanship and the entire work of Kazakhstan and Kiribati in convening this meeting. For decades, communities have continued to live with the consequences of nuclear weapons and use and testing. The harm did not end when the detonation stopped. It has persisted through radiation, contamination of land and water, health consequences, disrupted livelihoods, and social and psychological suffering. In many cases, these effects have extended across generations. We meet therefore not only to reflect on the past, but consider what we can do better today. The Philippines stands in solidarity with affected regions, states, and communities. Their experiences underscore several important lessons, some of which delegations have already underscored. First, victim assistance must be comprehensive and long-term. Medical care must be accompanied by psychosocial and socioeconomic support, including measures that enable affected communities to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. Second, environmental remediation must be grounded in sound science and sustained monitoring. Contaminated environments require careful assessment, appropriate remediation, and continued attention to risks that may persist long after initial cleanup efforts. Third, affected communities must be at the center of these efforts. They should be meaningfully involved. in identifying their needs, designing responses, and evaluating their implementation. Particular attention should be given to women and girls, children, indigenous peoples, and future generations. Fourth, transparency and access to information are indispensable. Communities cannot fully understand or address the consequences of nuclear use and testing without access to relevant historical, scientific, and environmental information. We therefore encourage states that have used or tested nuclear weapons to share relevant information, including the declassifying information that can contribute to victim assistance and environmental remediation. Chair, humanitarian treaties have an important role in translating these lessons into commitments. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons provides a clear legal framework for positive obligations of victim assistance and environmental remediation. as well as international cooperation and assistance. As a state party to the TPNW, the Philippines remains committed to advancing its effective implementation. These obligations complement the broader disarmament and non-proliferation architecture. The NPT has recognized, including through successive review conferences, the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and the need to address their legacy. The Philippines has likewise consistently underscored that the onus should be on the states that conducted nuclear tests rather than on the states and communities that are victims of their reverberating impacts. The CTBT, meanwhile, represents a critical contribution to preventing further harm by prohibiting explosions and strengthening the international monitoring and verification. As co-presidents together with Sweden of the Article 14 process, the Philippines remains committed to advancing the treaty's entry into force and strengthening the global norm against nuclear testing. At the regional level, ASEAN's commitment to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone reflects our shared determination to prevent our region from becoming a theater for nuclear weapons and to protect our people and our environment from their consequences. Mr. Chair, translating these commitments into practical action requires sustained international cooperation. We encourage states and relevant international organizations to strengthen cooperation in independent scientific research, environmental monitoring and assessment, and the development and sharing of effective remediation practices. We also encourage greater capacity building for affected states and communities, particularly where technical, scientific, or institutional resources remain limited. the same time, programs of medical, psychosocial and socioeconomic assistance should be sustained, accessible and designed in meaningful consultation with affected communities and responsive to their evolving needs. Above all, we must ensure that the lessons of those who have endured the consequences of nuclear weapons are not lost. Addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons is an essential part of our shared responsibility to present and future generations. is also an essential part of our broader commitment to a world in which no community will again have to bear the human and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the representative of Philippines for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Austria to be followed by the representative of Bangladesh. Austria, you have the floor.

Distinguished co-chairs, dear colleagues and members of civil society, Austria thanks the co-chairs Kazakhstan and Kiribati for convening the very first meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation. And we would like to congratulate you for your dedicated leadership on an issue that is often overlooked. We welcome representatives of the civil society, in particular from organizations representing victims and affected communities. Your presence here today and your voices are key to remind us, member states, about an ethical and moral obligation not to leave affected communities behind. For Austria, disarmament has never been an abstract exercise in arms control. We view disarmament through a humanitarian lens. This conviction runs through decades of Austrian disarmament engagement. The anti-personnel mine ban convention, where Austria chaired the first review conference. the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which Austria co-initiated and which was the first disarmament treaty to establish a legal obligation on victim assistance. And with the EVIPA declaration adopted in Dublin in 2022, states committed to a holistic, integrated, gender-sensitive and non-discriminatory approach to assisting victims. Austria initiated the idea and hosted the 2019 Vienna conference that launched the negotiations. The example of explosive weapons is instructive. According to international statistics, 90% of the victims of explosive weapons in populated areas are civilians. The consequences do not end when the fighting stops. Co-chairs, as an OPCW member, Austria has supported the destruction of chemical weapons and the care of their victims, from the OPCW Trust Fund for Victims of Chemical Weapons to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions. and joined the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons. The same humanitarian logic lies at the heart of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The TPNW is more than a prohibition treaty, it's a humanitarian treaty. Articles six and seven make victim assistance and environmental remediation a shared responsibility of all states parties. Victim assistance and environmental remediation are not afterthoughts to disarmament. They are essential to its credibility and its future. A disarmament regime that cares for the victims of weapons is a regime that is trusted, and a regime that is trusted is a regime that states will join and uphold. By addressing the full human cost of weapons, the immediate suffering and the long term damage to health, environment and communities, these obligations put people at the centre of the disarmament discourse. They transform disarmament from a purely technical exercise into a humanitarian endeavor, and they build the solidarity and shared responsibility that give the norm its moral and political force. In short, they are not just about repairing the past. They are about building the trust and legitimacy on which a world free from nuclear weapons depends. We look forward to continuing the discussion on victim assistance and environmental remediation during the first refcon of the TPNW this December, and I thank you.

I thank the representative of Austria for the statement and warm words addressed to the co-chairs. Now I would like to give the floor to the representative of Bangladesh, to be followed by Japan. Bangladesh, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Bangladesh welcomes the convening of this international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation. We would also like to welcome the participation of the affected communities. More than eight decades have passed since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. It is really unfortunate that over 2,000 nuclear tests were conducted in different parts of the world following those tragedies. The experience of survivors and affected communities have demonstrated that the consequences of nuclear weapons transcend national borders. And the ramifications don't end when the immediate destructions subside. The humanitarian and environmental impacts can persist across generations, affecting human health, livelihoods, land, water, and ecosystems. Over the years, these lived experiences have reminded us that nuclear disarmament is not only a question of national security, It is about people, communities, human dignity, and our collective responsibility to future generations. Mr. Chair, Bangladesh remains firmly committed to the NPT as a cornerstone of the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Against a backdrop of heightened nuclear risks, NPT reminds us of the urgent need to rebuild trust and demonstrate tangible progress towards nuclear disarmament. The urgency of our deliberations today is further underscored by developments in the broader nuclear disarmament architecture. Earlier this year, the 11th Review Conference of the NPT concluded without a consensus outcome. Nevertheless, the victims and affected communities must be placed at the centre of the nuclear disarmament-related talks. Their lived experiences and priorities should guide the design and implementation of assistance programmes. Such assistance needs to remain accessible, inclusive and non-discriminatory, with due attention to women, children, persons with disabilities and others facing particular vulnerabilities. Environmental remediation equally requires sustained international attention. Affected States should therefore be supported in conducting scientific assessments, environmental monitoring and appropriate remediation, including through access to expertise, technology and adequate resources. Against this backdrop, the TPNW marked an important development in international disarmament efforts. Its provisions on victim assistance, environmental remediation, and international cooperation and assistance recognize that addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons must go hand in hand with preventing their future use. The Vienna Action Plan adopted at the first meeting of States Parties to the TPNW in 2022 provided a practical framework for translating these obligations into action. Today's meeting also comes at an important moment as we look towards the first review conference of TPNW later this year. The review conference will offer us an opportunity to reassess progress under the Vienna Action Plan and to further strengthen implementation of Article 6 and 7 of the Treaty. Mr. Chair, despite being situated in a nuclear-armed region, Bangladesh has chosen to remain non-nuclear. As one of the first South Asian countries, we ratified the CTBT and TPNW. We call upon the Member States towards the universalization. Bangladesh remains firmly committed to comprehensive, verifiable and irreversible nuclear disarmament. The most effective guarantee against new victims, new contaminated communities and further environmental devastation remains the total elimination of nuclear weapons. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Bangladesh for his statement. Now I invite the representative of Japan to take the floor and to be followed by Thailand. Japan, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Co-Chairs, Excellencies, and distinguished delegates and participants. Japan welcomes the convening of this international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to you, co-chairs, for guiding our discussions. I also pay tribute to all participating states and organizations for their commitment to this important issue. Above all, Japan expresses its profound respect for and solidarity with the victims, survivors, and the communities affected by the use and testing of nuclear weapons. Japan voted in favor of General Assembly Resolution 79/60 and 80/56 related to the convening of this meeting. We welcome this important opportunity for the international community to consider how we can provide victim assistance and support environmental remediation. As the only country to have ever suffered atomic bombings during war, Japan has long provided assistance to the victims of the atomic bombings and undertaken efforts for environmental remediation in Japan. Drawing on the experience and knowledge accumulated through these efforts, Japan has also applied them beyond its borders by actively providing assistance to victims of nuclear testing and supporting environmental remediation in affected areas. One recent example is our cooperation with Kazakhstan. In August 2025, Japan decided to provide grant aid of 1 billion and 87 million yen for medical equipment, including MRI and CT scanners, to support victims of nuclear testing. Through the provision of this equipment, Japan seeks to improve the quality of medical services and access to healthcare for people living in affected areas. Mr. Co-Chair, Japan also supports the work of the Independent Scientific Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War. The panel is tasked with examining the physical effects and societal consequences of nuclear war and their impacts on public health, global socio-economic systems, agriculture, and ecosystems. We believe that the work of the panel will contribute to promoting accurate understanding of the realities of nuclear weapon use. For Japan, promoting accurate understanding of these realities is a starting point for all measures towards nuclear disarmament. Last year marked the 80th year since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The unwavering wish of the hibakusha is that such devastation must never be repeated. In this regard, Japan attaches great importance to visits by political leaders and senior government officials, as well as by mid-career and young leaders and youth delegations to places affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons. Japan will promote this especially through encouraging visit to Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We also commend opportunities for them to engage directly with survivors and affected communities. Such visits and exchanges enable participants to learn firsthand about the consequences of nuclear weapons and hear directly from those who have experienced them. Japan encourages all member states to promote such visits and exchanges. We must also ensure that the stories and memories of those affected are preserved and faithfully passed on to future generations. As the number of those able to share their experiences firsthand continues to decline, these efforts are becoming ever more urgent. Japan will continue to cooperate closely with relevant states and partners in promoting accurate understanding of the realities of nuclear weapon use, providing assistance to victims, and supporting environmental remediation. Through these efforts, Japan will continue to work towards the realization of a world without nuclear weapons. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Japan for the statement. And now I give the floor to the representative of Thailand, followed to be followed by New Zealand. Thailand, you have the floor.

Thailand welcomes the convening of this timely meeting as mandated by General Assembly resolutions 7960 and 8056. the long-term humanitarian consequences and environmental degradation caused by nuclear weapons testing and use demand an urgent and united international response. In addressing the nuclear legacy, Thailand emphasizes three key priorities. First is to deliver actionable survivor-centered victim assistance and environmental remediation frameworks. As one of the first party states to the TPNW, Thailand views Article 6 and 7 as essential legal and moral obligations. Our efforts to provide practical victim support and effective environmental restoration must be based on the actual need of survivors. Thailand recognizes the disproportionate impact of nuclear weapons on women and children. Therefore, it is crucial that we developed targeted protection and assistance frameworks to mitigate the long-term harm inflicted on vulnerable communities. Second, to ensure sustainable technical and financial support, Thailand supports the establishment of an international trust fund for victim assistance and environmental remediation. We emphasize the need to engage the scientific community, affected communities, civil society and international organizations in this regard. Thailand looks forward to the discussions on the trust fund's terms of reference, guidelines, technical provisions based on the co-chairs report. Third and finally, we need to reinforce a complementary global non-proliferation and disarmament architecture. Thailand views that addressing humanitarian harm and advancing global disarmament efforts are mutually reinforcing endeavors. We should therefore ensure synergy among development instruments, be they the TPNW, NPT, CTBT, or the regional nuclear weapon free zone treaties, including the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty, while advancing, of course, scientific study on humanitarian impacts, strengthening international humanitarian law, and reinforcing our check goal of a total elimination of nuclear weapons. Of course, as the most effective way to prevent future victims and environmental harm is, of course, to ensure that nuclear weapons are never to be tested or used again and ultimately they are to be eliminated. Thailand stand ready to work constructively with our member states and stakeholders to realize this long overdue aspiration. Thank you so much for your very kind attention.

I thank the representative of Thailand for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of New Zealand to be followed by South Africa. New Zealand, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. Excellencies, dear colleagues. New Zealand welcomes the opportunity that this one-day meeting provides to focus international attention on the legacy of nuclear weapons and states affected by their use or testing. We commend the role of two states directly affected by the legacy of nuclear testing, Kazakhstan and Kiribati, in leading this initiative. New Zealand supported United Nations Resolution 79/60 and 80/56, which led to this meeting. and is pleased to see it come to fruition. The fact that votes were called on those resolutions underlines the contrasting perspectives on aspects of the international community's efforts to address nuclear legacies. New Zealand's views on assistance and remediation with respect to nuclear weapons use or testing are inextricably linked to their poisonous legacy in the Pacific. From the late 1940s to 1996, nuclear tests conducted in the Pacific region by nuclear-armed states generated impacts on people and the environment that continue to be felt today. Whatever the purported security benefits to the nuclear powers concerned of the nuclear weapons that were tested, the human and environmental costs fell disproportionately on small communities distant from metropolitan areas and perhaps consequently seem to be of marginal concern. Those costs of nuclear testing were diverse. While some impacts were undoubtedly short-term, others have been intergenerational. Besides physical and psychosocial health concerns, they caused lasting environmental harm, including contamination, displacement, and disconnection of communities from their land. loss of livelihoods, and enduring feelings of injustice. The effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, on the structural integrity of nuclear material storage sites present new concerns. This lived experience of nuclear legacies has shaped responses and attitudes towards nuclear weapons ever since for states in the Pacific region, including New Zealand. We and many others have argued including in our submissions to the Secretary-General's report on addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons in 2024, that it makes sense to situate assistance to survivors and environmental remediation within the broader nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation agenda. Until nuclear weapons are eliminated, there is always the possibility of future victims and environmental contamination. Clearly, we are still a long way from achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. Nevertheless, we commend the Secretary-General's report as a step in the right direction, including his recommendations. One key recommendation in his report was for serious consideration to be given to establishing mechanisms for international cooperation and assistance. This is a topic that has subsequently been raised in a range of international forums, including in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty context, and pursued in the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. Another recommendation in the report was that the United Nations system should, where appropriate, support efforts to deepen understanding of the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and facilitate the provision of international cooperation and assistance. We urge all states to engage in these efforts moving forward. Today's discussion could become a critical moment in a conversation that we hope will, in time, deliver tangible results for those still living with nuclear legacies. I thank you.

I thank the representative of New Zealand for the statement. Now I give the floor to the representative of South Africa, to be followed by Marshall Islands. South Africa, you have the floor.

Thank you, co-chairs. South Africa welcomes the initiative calling for this important international meeting to be convened. It is a timely contribution to discussions to address the legacy of nuclear weapons through the provision of victim assistance and environmental remediation to member states affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons. Co-chairs, it is regrettable that 80 years after nuclear weapons were first tested and used, these horrific weapons continue to pose an existential threat to humanity. The experiences of individuals and states affected by the testing of nuclear weapons, with thousands of explosive nuclear tests being conducted around the globe, bear testament to the horrors of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are cruel and indiscriminate. They wreak havoc and cause massive, unacceptable loss of life, long-term damage to the environment, and have severe health consequences. It must be emphasized that national boundaries are blurred when it comes to the fallout from any nuclear weapon use. The understanding and awareness of the catastrophic impact of a nuclear weapon of a nuclear weapon detonation and the continued risks for such a detonation, whether by accident, miscalculation or design, have contributed to enduring or ensuring that humanitarian considerations can no longer be ignored. These humanitarian consequences are substantiated by new scientific evidence. This growing body of research confirms that the effects of a nuclear detonation are more severe cascading, long-lasting and complex than previously understood. It involves short and long-term damage to the environment, sustainable development, the global economy, food security and the health of current and future generations. It also includes the disproportionate impact that nuclear weapons have on women and girls, including as a result of ionizing radiation, as well as on infants, and children given their particular vulnerability to the effects of nuclear weapons. Co-chairs, the catastrophic humanitarian consequences and risks associated with nuclear weapons underpin the moral and ethical imperatives for nuclear disarmament and the urgency of achieving and maintaining a nuclear weapon-free world. Concerns about the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental impact of nuclear weapons have been with us since the first use of these weapons. These concerns were the motivating factor for the establishment of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the NPT, and they remain a motivating factor in insisting that all of its provisions are fully implemented, including disarmament. Similarly, The Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the TPNW, is premised on the fundamental principle of humanity and the ethical imperatives for nuclear disarmament. The TPNW demonstrates growing support for humanitarian efforts to take decisive action against nuclear weapons, and its significance in relation to Article 6 of the NPT cannot be overemphasized. It is unacceptable that decades after the use or testing of nuclear weapons, many affected communities still await assistance and environmental remediation. The TPNW States Parties and signatory States are doing their part by advancing the implementation of the positive obligations of the TPNW, including through the development of mechanisms to facilitate victim assistance and environmental remediation. Co-chairs, it is South Africa's hope that through this meeting, the international community will gain a deeper understanding of the humanitarian dimension of the use and testing of nuclear weapons, and that it encourages further international cooperation towards meaningful action. I thank you.

I thank the representative of South Africa for his statement. I now give the floor to the permanent representative of Marshall Islands to be followed by El Salvador. Marshall Islands, the floor is yours.

Thank you, co-chairs, excellencies. The Republic of the Marshall Islands strongly welcomes and affirms today's international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation as a milestone in international and multilateral action to address the actual consequences of nuclear testing and exposure. It is a key opportunity to better elevate the voices of civil society, including survivors and communities who continue to carry this heavy burden today and into the future. A legacy passed down from father to son and from mother to daughter. We carry this burden as a legacy. This is not just a historical fact, but a defining contemporary challenge. For far too long, this issue has been ignored and inadequately addressed within the United Nations. In the 72 years since our first trust issue petition, the Marshall Islands has continued to face severe long-term health consequences including high rates of thyroid cancer, leukemia, and birth defects, while some affected communities remain displaced. Today, I'm delivering this message next door to the very same hall where the Trustees of Council sat in session to address our first petition. And it was in this same hall that the Trustees of Council effectively authorized nuclear testing to continue. From 1946 to 1958, during our status as a strategic UN trusteeship, the United Nations administering authority, the United States, undertook 67 large-scale atmospheric detonations, the equivalent of 1.6 Hiroshima-size shots every day for 12 years. Whole islands were destroyed and what remained was beyond recognition. Fallout rained upon nearby islands and children played in toxic ash, mistaking it for snow. But this cannot be a story of victimhood. It is instead part of who the Marshallese people are today and part of our story to the world then and now. In 1954, Dwight Heinle, a Marshallese, traveled to the Trusteeship Council in New York here and presented a petition on behalf of the Marshallese people. He urged the UN Trusteeship Council to halt any further testing out of concern for the harm to the Marshallese communities that had been exposed, the scale of the loss, and what relocation truly meant to them. The petition said, and I quote, "Land means a great deal to the Marshallese. It means more than just where you can plant your food crops, build your houses, or place where you can bury your dead. It is the very life of the people. Take away their land and their spirits go also." In response, the Trusteeship Council adopted Resolution 1082, which effectively allowed nuclear testing to continue if the administering authority deemed it necessary for world peace. This resolution, and the same one that followed in 1956, remained the only instances in which a UN organ explicitly authorized nuclear testing. Co-chairs, This legacy, decades later, should not only continue to serve as a clear and direct reminder to the world of why nuclear testing might never again occur. It also remains an active and defining contemporary challenge. The effects and experiences of nuclear testing are an important lens through which our human rights are understood including as addressed in the Human Rights Council resolution 57/26. We have a moment to reflect on what nuclear testing means for those who experience it, including as addressed in UN General Council resolution 79/60 regarding nuclear legacy weapons testing. It is important that Marshallese and others affected people and communities around the world remain a direct and important voice in defining our future. As the Marshall Islands look forward to participating in the TPMW treaty review conference as an observer later this year, we underscore our continued support for all nations that provide strong affirmation in any and every effective platform. of the need to reduce and eliminate nuclear weapons. The Marshall Islands offers our full assistance to other nations in multilateral discussions, including the TPNW, to share our perspective on our detailed legacy efforts to evaluate, recover, and address environmental remediation and victim assistance in history and today in local communities at the negotiation table. Science has long been a moving coal post with communities resettled and then moved again. Strengthen and targeted assistance from UN and international partners are urged to provide full and targeted assistance so that we can achieve an independent external assessment so that we can stop living in fear of contamination we did not cause and do not fully understand. This is far more than a workshop or a distant case study. It is our reality. It is important to know that. We also continue to draw attention to the differences between our victim nations obligations are defined in the TPNW and in UN General Assembly Resolution 79/60. which makes far clearer where primary responsibility for the impact of nuclear testing rest. Some of the Marshall Islands question regarding the TPMW positive obligations are in recent, are in recent, in reaction to 2023 academic article by Dr. Han Hood published in the University of Michigan Journal of International Law entitled, and I quote, You were bombed and now you have to pay for it. It is inequitable and most importantly ineffective to pin the responsibility for victim assistance upon a nation which did not exist, which had no say in decisions to test nuclear weapons. Within our limited means, we have formed a national nuclear commission to coordinate efforts with local governments and stakeholders. our national human rights response and implementation. Action must come from those, all those actors with capacity, resources, and responsibility. We respectfully seek dialogue and discussion regarding an amendment to Article 6 of the TPNW to better align the UN General Assembly Resolution 79/80. Thank you, co-chairs.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Marshall Islands for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of El Salvador, to be followed by Burundi. El Salvador, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair. El Salvador welcomes the convening of this international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation and expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General and to the Office for Disarmament Affairs for facilitating this important discussion. This meeting is particularly relevant to El Salvador and is fully consistent with our country's longstanding commitment to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. and with our conviction that discussions on nuclear weapons must take fully into account their catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences. More than 2,000 nuclear test explosions have been conducted around the world. Their consequences have not been confined to the places or monuments in which those explosions occurred. They have affected human health. contaminated the environment, disrupted communities and livelihoods, and generated consequences that continue to be experienced across generations. For El Salvador, recognizing this legacy also means listening to those who have experienced it. The experiences, needs, and rights of victims, survivors, and affected communities must remain at the centre of our discussions. Their testimonies have been fundamental to deepening our collective understanding of the consequences of nuclear weapons and to ensuring that these consequences are understood not merely in abstract or strategic terms, but through their profound and lasting impact on people, communities and the environment. We must also recognize that these impacts have not been experienced equally. Communities in territories where nuclear testing took place, as well as women and girls, have faced particular and disproportionate consequences. Therefore, victim assistance and environmental remediation represent an important dimension in addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons. International cooperation has an essential role to play in this regard, including through the exchange of technical and scientific information and the provision, where appropriate, of technical and financial assistance to affected states and communities. In this context, El Salvador also recognizes the important contribution of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which incorporates specific humanitarian obligations on victim assistance, as well as environmental remediation and international cooperation and assistance. These provisions constitute an important contribution to addressing the humanitarian and environmental legacy of nuclear weapons while advancing our shared goal of their total elimination. For El Salvador, this was strengthened even further by the visit at the beginning of August of Dr. Robert Floyd, through which not only was support for this treaty, the CTBT, strengthened, but also El Salvador's contribution was strengthened to the international verification regime aimed at detecting possible nuclear explosions. At the same time, addressing the consequences of past nuclear activities must be accompanied by determined efforts to prevent their recurrence. We reiterate the call upon all States to refrain from conducting nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions, to maintaining existing moratoria and to refrain from any action contrary to the object and purpose of the Treaty. While existing moratoria remain essential, they cannot substitute for the permanent and legally binding prohibition that will be achieved through the entry into force of the treaty. El Salvador therefore reiterates its call for the treaty's universalization and early entry into force. Ultimately, our efforts to assist victims and remediate affected environments cannot be separated from the broader objective of nuclear disarmament. The humanitarian and environmental legacy before us demonstrates why preventing any future use or testing of nuclear weapons is an imperative. It also reinforces El Salvador's conviction that the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination. El Salvador remains committed to continue raising awareness on the importance of strengthening international cooperation and assistance to address the humanitarian and environmental consequences that continue today and to uphold our collective responsibility to ensure that such suffering is never repeated. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of El Salvador for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Burundi, to be followed by Australia. Burundi, you have the floor.

Thank you, Chair, Co-Chairs. My delegation thanks Kazakhstan, Kiribati, and the Office for Disarmament Affairs for convening this important meeting on assistance to victims and environmental radiation remediation related to the use or testing of nuclear weapons. Burundi welcomes the holding of this meeting in accordance with General Assembly resolution 7960 and 8056. We see this exercise not only as an opportunity to share a national experience, but above all, as an opportunity to strengthen our collective response to the human and environmental consequences, at times irreversible, of the nuclear era. In this regard, my delegation wishes to highlight three observations. First, assistance to victims must be regarded as a collective responsibility of the international community. Victims of the use and testing of nuclear weapons must not be reduced to mere statistics. Behind the numbers are individuals, families, and communities whose lives may be affected for generations to come. Burundi therefore believes that our efforts must be guided by the principles of human dignity, non-discrimination, and equity. Assistance must as needed cover health, psychosocial, economic, and social dimensions while paying particular attention to vulnerable groups. Secondly, we must move on from the sharing of experiences to more concrete international cooperation. The technical, scientific, and financial capacities required to identify contamination, care for victims, and rehabilitate affected territories are not equally available to all states. Burundi therefore encourages the strengthening of international cooperation, including through the sharing of scientific knowledge, strengthening of national capacities, training of experts, and the mobilization of predictable and sustainable resources. We also believe that the United Nations has an important role to play in facilitating networking among concerned states and promoting the sharing of best practices. Third, Environmental remediation must be approached from a long-term perspective. Radioactive contamination does not end with the conclusion of a testing program. Its effects can continue to affect soil, water, ecosystems, and the livelihoods of populations. It is therefore essential to invest in environmental monitoring, scientific risk assessment, and the remediation of contaminated sites. These efforts must be accompanied by transparent information to populations and the effective participation of affected communities. Co-chairs, Burundi believes that this meeting should help produce concrete, inclusive, and action-oriented recommendations. We call, in particular, for the Secretary-General's report to clearly identify existing gaps, the needs of affected states and the areas in which strengthened international cooperation could yield tangible results. Lastly, Burundi reaffirms its commitment to the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. The prevention of new suffering must go hand in hand with our responsibility to address the suffering inherited from the past. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Burundi for the statement. I now give the floor to the permanent representative of Australia, followed by Vietnam. Australia, you have the floor.

Thank you, co-chair. And I particularly want to commend both co-chairs representing Kiribati and Kazakhstan today for longstanding leadership on the legacy of nuclear weapons testing. As we convene for this historic meeting, I acknowledge the intergenerational impact that historic nuclear testing has had on communities in Kiribati and Kazakhstan and the broader Pacific and Central Asia regions. Australia would like to make three points today. First, I want to underscore our own experience as a nation that has experienced historic nuclear testing. We have witnessed firsthand in Australia the devastating impact of testing and the long-lasting effects on those who have been involved. The hurt and suffering caused by the removal of First Nations Australians from their traditional lands and the impact this had on their traditions, lifestyle and connection to country is something we continue to acknowledge. Second, nuclear testing has impacted our region and we stand ready to amplify and support Pacific voices on this issue. We want to contribute our technical and scientific expertise in radiological analyses and environmental remediation to support broader efforts to address nuclear legacy issues. We've been pleased to share this expertise with partners across our region and support the call by Pacific Islands Forum leaders to build scientific and monitoring capacity. Australia is also proud to have contributed an expert to the United Nations scientific panel on the effects of nuclear war, and we look forward to their report to the General Assembly next year. Finally, the terrible legacy of nuclear weapons testing should be enough to galvanize the global community to ensure we do not repeat mistakes of the past. 40 years ago, our collective experience of testing in the Pacific saw our region come together to create the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone known as the Treaty of Rarotonga. This year, we celebrate another milestone for our region, the universalization in the Pacific of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty following ratification by the Kingdom of Tonga. These achievements demonstrate our collective commitment to relegate nuclear testing to history. Yet the global norm against nuclear testing is facing serious challenges. We are deeply concerned by claims that certain states have undertaken explosive nuclear testing. And we urge all relevant states to abide by their respective moratoria and refrain from conducting nuclear explosive tests of any yield. We call on all states that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the CTBT without further delay or precondition, particularly the nine Annex II states required for its entry into force. The CTBT is our collective commitment to a permanent end to the dangers and destructive legacy of explosive nuclear testing. Thank you.

I thank the Permanent Representative of Australia for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Vietnam to be followed by Brazil. Vietnam, you have the floor. Excuse me, can you push the button for microphone? Oh, yes, thank you.

I think it's on. Thank you. Apologies. Thank you, co-chairs. May I begin? Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Vietnam welcomes the convening of this important meeting under the initiative of Kazakhstan and Kiribati. Yesterday, at the meeting to commemorate the International Day Against Nuclear Test, and today as well, we have heard vivid testimonies from those directly affected. those whose health, livelihoods and environment and whose families, and in some cases for five generations, continue to bear the impact of nuclear weapons testing and use. The international community already has important foundations for action. The TPNW, as the first treaty to establish specific provisions on victim assistance, environmental remediation and international cooperation and assistance in this regard, provides one such framework. And for the first time in more than three decades, we are undertaking an international scientific study on the impacts of nuclear war in the 21st century. Yet frameworks alone are not enough. Given the long-term, complex and insufficiently understood nature of nuclear harm, practical actions and international support must be strengthened to adequately assist affected communities and countries. As a nation that has suffered from decades of conflicts and continues to address its consequences to this day, Vietnam believes that victim assistance and environmental remediation must be approached in a holistic manner. This means, first and foremost, advancing disarmament and the total elimination of nuclear weapons through especially the universalization of the TPNW and practical implementations of its Article 6 and 7, full implementation of the NPT, especially Article 6 and related commitments, and the entry into force of the CTBT. Secondly, international cooperation in this area must serve both a humanitarian objective and the objective of enabling affected communities to build a sustainable future. It is therefore in our view that it will be helpful to look at victim assistance and environmental remediation not only through a disarmament lens, but also as part of achieving sustainable development goals. International engagement in this area should address the concrete and long-term needs of affected countries and communities. And such engagement should extend not only through disarmament processes, but also through other bilateral, regional, and multilateral channels. At the same time. targeted approach that recognizes the specific impacts, needs and experiences of women and girls and meaningfully involves affected communities, civil society and the scientific community will help better understanding the nature of nuclear harm and develop more effective and long-term approaches to assistance and remediation. And we believe that the engagement of those states which have used or tested nuclear weapons or any other nuclear explosive devices is particularly important. We also encourage all other member states in a position to do so to contribute as appropriate. Excellencies, Vietnam stands ready to contribute its experience and work with all partners to advance a comprehensive approach to address the legacy of nuclear weapons for member states affected, one that translates frameworks into practical actions and places affected communities and countries at the center of our collective efforts. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Vietnam for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Brazil, to be followed by Kiribati. Brazil, you have the floor.

Thank you, co-chairs. Brazil welcomes the convening of this meeting and thanks the Secretary-General for drawing renewed attention to the lasting human and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons. We also thank Kazakhstan and Kiribati for leading this important initiative in the United Nations. And we also thank the speakers for their powerful and moving remarks. The harmful environmental impacts of nuclear weapons must remain central to our discussions on nuclear disarmament. Nuclear tests conducted throughout the 20th century left behind contaminated lands and waters. It also damaged ecosystems and posed long-term risks to the health and livelihoods of affected communities. In many cases, these consequences persist for decades. The victims assistance must come together with meaningful environmental remediation, including assessment and monitoring of the contaminated areas. Restoration efforts and support for the communities whose lands, livelihoods and development prospects

have been impaired by nuclear testing must also be ensured.

Brazil welcomes the fact that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons broke important new ground by expressly addressing victims assistance and environmental remediation, and by reinforcing the humanitarian case for nuclear disarmament. Today, growing strategic competition, modernization of nuclear arsenals, and increasingly frequent references to the possible use of nuclear weapons risk normalizing the unthinkable. It also increases the dangers of escalation, miscalculation, and accidents. The humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons would be catastrophic, indiscriminate, and potentially irreversible. No state or humanitarian system can adequately respond to the immediate and long-term effects. They would transcend borders and generations, affecting human health, ecosystems, food and water security, and development in general. Distinguished co-chairs, supporting affected communities and restoring damaged environments are imperative responsibilities. But one of the definitive assurances that there will be no new victims, no new contaminated territories, and no new nuclear legacies is the complete, irreversible, and verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons.

Thank you.

I thank the representative of Brazil for the statement. Now I give the floor to the representative of Kiribati, followed by Zimbabwe. Kiribati, you have the floor.

Thank you, co-chairs. Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen. Kiribati has consistently reaffirmed its strong support for the United Nations' pursuit of a free world of nuclear weapons. During the high-level week of the 80th session of the General Assembly, our President underscored our commitment to addressing the harm inflicted on the health, ecosystems and livelihoods of the states affected by nuclear weapons use and testing. That commitment remains deeply relevant as we gather today. For Kiribati, the call of eliminating nuclear weapons cannot be separated from the responsibility to confront the consequences of the weapons already used and tested. A nuclear test may last only moments, yet its impact endures for generations. They are felt in human health, in the environment, in livelihoods, and in the daily lives of communities whose suffering continues long after the tests have ended. It is in this spirit that Kiribati welcomes the convening of this international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation. Co-chairs, Kiribati's own history illustrates why this discussion is very important. Between 1957 and 1962, nuclear tests were conducted in Kiribati. Communities on Christmas were exposed with limited protection and inadequate warning. The legacy of those days is measured not only by the detonations themselves, but by the health impact, the disruption to families, and the suffering experienced by generations that followed. Nuclear justice requires recognition of affected communities and sustained efforts to address the consequences they continue to face. This year marks 30 years since the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was opened for signature. yet it has still not entered into force. Kiribati calls upon all States that have not signed and ratified the Treaty to do so. We commend the Kingdom of Tonga for its recent ratification which strengthens the global norm against nuclear testing. The Treaty entry into force would reinforce our collective responsibility to ensure that the suffering associated with nuclear testing is never repeated. But prevention alone is not enough. Where nuclear tests have occurred, responsibility continues long after testing stops. Affected states such as Kiribati still face unanswered questions about the full extent and duration of the consequences. We therefore call for strengthened scientific research expanded health assessment, environmental monitoring, improved data collection and preservation of community knowledge. Proper assessment is essential to ensure that affected communities receive appropriate assistance and that environmental remediation is based on sound evidence. Co-chairs, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons is central to this effort, its provisions on victim assistance Environmental remediation and international cooperation place human consequences of nuclear weapons at the centre of the global response. Communities that have suffered should not be left to carry that burden alone. Kiribati encourages all States to strengthen the implementation of these humanitarian commitments. We also welcome the participation of the young woman from Kiribati who will speak this afternoon. on behalf of affected communities in Christmas. Their presence reminds us that this legacy reaches into the lives and aspirations of younger generations. For Kiribati, the message is clear. We must work towards a world free of nuclear weapons. We must prevent further nuclear testing. And where testing has already occurred, we must ensure that its consequences are properly understood and addressed. A nuclear test may last only moments. The responsibility to address its consequences may last generations. What has already happened must be assessed. What can be remedied must be addressed. And what can be prevented must never be repeated. I thank you, co-chairs.

I thank the representative of Kiribati for the statement. Now I give the floor to the representative of Guatemala be followed by Holy See. Okay, Zimbabwe, you have the floor.

Thank you, co-chairs. Zimbabwe thanks the Secretary General for convening this international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation in line with the General Assembly resolution 7960 and AT56. We also thank Kazakhstan and Kiribati for co-chairing this meeting. Excellencies and distinguished delegates, this meeting is an essential step towards general and complete disarmament, addressing the legacy of nuclear weapons and providing victim assistance and environmental remediation to Member States and victims affected by the use or testing of nuclear weapons. Distinguished delegates, the health, humanitarian and environmental consequences of past nuclear testing are widespread and continue to cause enduring harm. A full global impact assessment is still lacking, but there is already clear scientific evidence of where the most severe harm occurred and where resources and responsibility should be focused. Zimbabwe appreciates that there has been more traction towards addressing this unfortunate situation through the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which is the first treaty to require victim assistance and environmental remediation as a consequence of the testing of nuclear weapons. The TPNW requires each state party to adequately provide victims with assistance, including medical care, rehabilitation, and psychological support, as well as to provide for their social and economic inclusion. The treaty also requires States Parties to take the necessary and appropriate measures towards the environmental remediation of areas so contaminated. We look forward to the first TPNW Review Conference later this year under the presidency of South Africa. Co-Chairs, This year we celebrate 30 years of entry into, of opening for signature of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which has instilled the global norm against nuclear testing. The CTBT has brought a complete ban on nuclear testing with a robust international monitoring system to verify compliance. We call upon all remaining Annex II States that have not yet signed or ratified the CTBT to do so. We encourage regions that have not yet done so to conclude regional treaties in order to assure the total absence of nuclear weapons in their respective territories as provided under Article 7 of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. In our African context, the Treaty of Pelindaba is a landmark in reinforcing both regional and global nuclear disarmament norms, including the total prohibition of nuclear testing. We further recall the 1996 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice, which found that the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict, and in particular the principles and rules of humanitarian law. Under customary international law, a state responsible for violations of international humanitarian law is required to make full reparation for the loss or injury caused. Excellencies and distinguished delegates, Zimbabwe calls for three specific actions in the context of victim assistance and environmental remediation. Firstly, this meeting should catalyse an accountable institutional framework for multilateral cooperation to assist victims and assess and remediate environments contaminated by nuclear testing. Secondly, member states that have used or tested nuclear weapons or any other nuclear explosive devices should publish relevant and appropriate technical and scientific information regarding the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such use and contribute the necessary technical and financial assistance to address the damage. And thirdly, there should be a public acknowledgement of responsibility by the member states that have used or tested a nuclear weapon or any other nuclear explosive device. Excellencies and distinguished delegates, let me conclude by calling for the establishment of the necessary follow-up processes and mechanisms to ensure that this meeting serves as a catalyst to resolve the long-standing need for comprehensive victim assistance and environmental remediation. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Zimbabwe for the statement. Next on my list is representative of Guatemala, to be followed by Holy See. Guatemala, you have the floor.

Thank you, co-chairs, excellencies, distinguished representatives. Guatemala welcomes the convening of this meeting and recognizes the importance of addressing a dimension that for too long remained on the margins of nuclear disarmament discussions, namely the needs of the individuals and communities that continue to suffer the consequences of the use and testing of nuclear weapons. My delegation recalls that the very existence of nuclear weapons constitutes a threat to humanity. Their devastating effects transcend borders and generations, leaving profound humanitarian, environmental, social and economic consequences. For this reason, Guatemala maintains its principled position that the only effective guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is their total prohibition and elimination. However, As we advance towards that objective, we cannot overlook those who have already suffered the consequences of these weapons. Since the first nuclear explosions and the numerous tests conducted in different parts of the world, entire communities have lived for decades with the lasting effects of radiation exposure. The impacts on human health continue to manifest themselves through various forms of cancer, chronic illnesses, and other conditions that have shaped the lives of whole generations. The victims of nuclear testing and use require adequate and sustained access to medical care, rehabilitation, psychological support, and social and economic inclusion. They also deserve full recognition of their dignity, their experiences, and their contribution to raising international awareness of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. Likewise, Guatemala believes that victim assistance should be pursued through a people-centered approach, sensitive to issues of gender, age, and vulnerability, and guided by respect for human rights. It is not only about addressing individual harm but it is also about strengthening the resilience of affected communities and preserving the memory of the humanitarian impacts of nuclear weapons. In this regard it is essential to recognize that the effects of radiation do not affect everyone equally. Numerous studies have demonstrated differentiated impacts on women and girls as well as specific consequences for maternal and reproductive health in exposed communities. These realities underscore the need for assistance policies that incorporate a gender perspective and respond comprehensively to the needs of affected individuals. Furthermore, my delegation emphasizes that environmental remediation constitutes an indispensable responsibility. The effects of contamination resulting from nuclear testing can persist for decades, affecting ecosystems, water sources, and livelihoods. Consequently, international efforts should prioritize scientific assessment of affected areas, the exchange of technical knowledge, and the strengthening of capacities for long-term environmental recovery. In this context, Guatemala attaches particular importance to the provisions of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons concerning victim assistance and environmental remediation, which represent a significant step forward by placing humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons at the center of international action. Co-chairs, international solidarity is an essential element of addressing these obligations. No affected state should alone bear the consequences of activities whose impacts transcend national borders and generations. Finally, Guatemala reaffirms its commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons and believes that any credible disarmament agenda must address not only the elimination of arsenals, but also the needs of the people and environments affected by them. Only in this way can we advance towards truly sustainable, human-centered international peace and security. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Guatemala for the statement. Next on my list is the representative of the Holy See, to be followed by Malaysia. Holy See, you have the floor.

Thank you. Co-chairs, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, at the outset, my delegation would like to thank Kazakhstan and Kiribati for convening this important meeting. In his encyclical Magnificat Humanitas, Pope Leo XIV warns against the emergence of a culture of power in which the availability of resources and the ability to dominate tend to dictate the agenda and criteria for decision making. He observes that such a culture grows by normalizing war, pursuing ever greater military power, taking advantage of the crisis of multilateralism, and fueling a false realism that insists that there is no alternative. This logic is particularly pertinent in the nuclear field where nuclear arsenals are being modernized and expanded alongside the increasing integration of rapidly evolving technologies into weapons systems. Rather than offering a firmer foundation for peace, these developments risk deepening reliance on instruments equipped with a destructive potential that endangers human life human dignity and creation itself. The enduring consequences of nuclear weapons use and testing reminds us that behind doctrines, arsenals and considerations of strategic advantage stand human persons whose inherent God-given dignity can never be subordinated to military or political interests. Pope Leo XIV calls for the adoption of the perspective of victims, recognizing and listening to those whose lives have been affected by such suffering. Therefore, victim assistance is not merely a humanitarian response to past harm, but also an expression of justice and solidarity. International cooperation Financial support and technical evaluation are required to provide medical care, psychological support and social welfare for individuals harmed by radiation and nuclear testing fallout. Particular attention must be given to communities that have borne disproportionate burdens, including indigenous peoples, to ensure they can participate meaningfully in decisions concerning their lives and future. Co-chairs, care for affected communities cannot be separated from care for the environment. The contamination of land, water and ecosystems affects the health and livelihoods of present communities and places burdens upon future generations. Environmental remediation is therefore closely linked to protecting human dignity and the sustainability of communities and is part of the shared responsibility to care and safeguard creation. In this regard, Article 6 and 7 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons provide an important framework for advancing victim assistance and environmental remediation through international cooperation. Considering the risks associated with the potential for mass destruction of nuclear weapons, Their complete elimination remains the surest means of preventing their catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences. In this regard, the TPNW and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty provide essential foundations for advancing towards a world free of nuclear weapons and for fostering a human-centered approach to security, one that places the dignity of the human person at its heart. and is grounded in dialogue, mutual trust, and the pursuit of the common good. My delegation therefore renews its appeal to all states that have not yet done so to sign and ratify these treaties and work towards their universalization. Co-chairs, those affected by nuclear weapons call on us not only to address the consequences of past harm, but also to allow their testimony to guide our choices for the future. By doing so, we can move beyond a culture of power and promote a vision of security that places the human person at its center, safeguards creation, and serves the common good. Thank you.

I thank the representative of the Holy See for the statement. I will give the floor to the representative from Malaysia to be followed by Malta. Malaysia, you have the floor.

Thank you, co-chairs. Malaysia welcomes the convening of this first international meeting as an important step towards translating international recognition of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons into practical action to address the enduring legacy. Malaysia expresses its grave concern that the use and testing of nuclear weapons have inflicted devastating and long-lasting humanitarian and environmental consequences, affecting not only those directly exposed, but also communities and generations that continue to live with their legacy. Beyond the immediate loss of life and injury, the effects of ionizing radiation have contributed to prolonged health impacts, displacements, environmental contamination and disruption to livelihoods and communities. These enduring consequences underscore the urgent need for sustained international attention to the needs of victims and affected communities, alongside meaningful efforts to remediate contaminated environments. In this regard, NLC wishes to highlight three points. Firstly, Nesi recognises the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, TPNW, as a historic step in strengthening the international response to the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. The treaty has clearly affirmed that individuals and communities harmed by nuclear weapons deserve recognition, support and meaningful assistance. Nesi commends States Parties' efforts to implement Articles 6 and 7, demonstrating the treaty's role in providing assistance to affected people. restoring contaminated areas and addressing the lasting consequences of nuclear weapons use and testing. Malaysia therefore encourages states that have not joined the treaty to do so at the earliest opportunity and to contribute constructively to its universalisation and implementation. Secondly, after 30 years of its adoption, Malaysia reiterates that the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty remains both essential and long overdue. NZ stresses that completing this process is an important part of advancing the broader objectives of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. NZ urgently calls on all remaining Annex II States to sign and ratify the CTBT without further delay. The international community must act decisively to bring the treaty into force and ensure that nuclear testing is consigned permanently to history. Thirdly, NESA believes that our effort should be guided by greater coherence, stronger partnerships, and the needs of those most affected. We encourage closer coordination among relevant UN entities, international organizations, scientific institutions, and affected states so that available expertise and resources can be better harnessed and streamlined into effective action. Greater attention should also be given to strengthening national capacities, including in environmental monitoring, health assessment and remediation planning. Above all, affected communities should have a meaningful voice in shaping priorities and assessing progress. Through sustained cooperation, knowledge sharing and inclusive engagement, we can build a more coordinated and effective international response to the enduring humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons. NZ has consistently maintained that the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination. Addressing the consequences of past use and testing is inseparable from our broader responsibility to prevent such devastation from ever occurring again. victim assistance, environmental remediation, essential responses to harm already inflicted, and they are also a stark reminder that no response mechanism could ever fully remedy the catastrophic consequences of another nuclear detonation. Nuclear disarmament must therefore remain our ultimate objective. Malaysia remains committed to working with fellow Member States and other stakeholders to ensure that assistance for victims, support for affected communities and environmental remediation are effective, sustainable and responsive to the needs of those who continue to bear the consequences of nuclear weapons. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Malaysia for the statement. Next on my list is Malta, to be followed by Norway. Malta, you have the floor.

Distinguished distinguished co-chairs, Malta thanks Kazakhstan and Kiribati for convening this first meeting on international assistance, victim assistance, environmental remediation in accordance with GA resolution 7960 and 8056. Co-chairs, Malta welcomes the progress made in advancing the implementation of articles six and seven of the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons. For Malta these provisions are not merely technical obligations, they represent a commitment to victims of nuclear weapons use and testing, affected communities and future generations who continue to bear their consequences. Malta attaches particular importance to ensuring that this work remains people-centred, inclusive and gender-responsive. As the gender focal point of the TPNW, Malta has built on the important work undertaken by Chile and Mexico and has collaborated closely with the co-chairs during the current intersessional period. Over the past year and a half, Malta has convened webinars and side events addressing the differentiated humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, including the gendered effects of ionizing radiation. These discussions have highlighted the importance of empowering women, strengthening inclusive participation, and ensuring the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in nuclear disarmament. More recently, Malta has consulted Member States, affected communities, academia and civil society on the development of guidelines for age and gender responsive victim assistance. Gender and age considerations must be integrated from the outset in this design, delivery and monitoring of assistance programmes. This work is not an additional layer to the implementation of the treaty, but an essential part of fulfilling it. Co-chairs, Malta also reaffirms its support for the establishment of the International Trust Fund for the victim assistance and environmental remediation at the forthcoming first review conference of the TPNW. Such a fund would help translate the commitments contained in articles six and seven into concrete assistance for victims and affected communities. As gender focal point, Malta believes that the process towards establishing the trust fund dovetails closely with the work Malta has been doing on the guidelines. A fund responsive to affected communities should recognize the differentiated experiences and the needs of women, men, girls and boys. Gender perspectives must therefore be reflected in its design and implementation. In conclusion, victim assistance, environmental remediation and gender equality are intrinsically linked to the humanitarian purpose of the treaty. At the first review conference, we have an opportunity to translate our commitments into tangible action for affected communities. We must seize this opportunity. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Malta for the statement. Now I give the floor to the representative of Norway, to be followed by Canada. Norway, you have the floor.

Co-chairs, Norway welcomes the convening of this meeting and thanks Kazakhstan, Kiribati, and UNODA for their efforts in bringing together states, international organizations, experts, civil society, and representatives of affected communities for this important exchange. Nuclear weapons use and testing have a lasting legacy, continuing to affect individuals, communities, and environments in different

parts of the world.

We should also remember the ways in which these explosions have an aggravated effect on girls and women specifically. The humanitarian and environmental consequences persist across generations. This bleak chapter of the nuclear legacy has often been overlooked and requires our collective attention. Norway has therefore been a consistent supporter of the General Assembly resolution on victims assistance and environmental remediation. Supporting efforts to understand and address this issue is consistent with Norway's longstanding engagement on humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and our commitment to ensuring that nuclear weapons are never tested or used again. It also complements our broader efforts to reduce nuclear risk, strengthen arms control, and support nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, as well as promoting the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. We believe there is great value in bringing together affected communities and states, international organizations, scientific experts, and other relevant

stakeholders, like we do today.

To address a problem effectively, we need to understand the details of it. The experiences and expertise of those directly affected are indispensable in this regard. Combined with scientific research and technical expertise, these perspectives can help build a more comprehensive understanding of needs and challenges, informing more effective, high quality victim assistance and environmental remediation efforts.

At the same time, it contributes to a stronger evidence base for our work

on disarmament, non-proliferation, arms control and risk reduction. Transparency and confidence building measures, including the effective implementation of IAEA safeguards and the Additional Protocol, also play an important role in strengthening international efforts to prevent the re-emergence of nuclear testing and proliferation risks.

Co-chairs,

Norway has sought to support such efforts in practice. In 2024, the Nuke Expo conference in Oslo brought together experts, policymakers, humanitarian actors, and representatives of affected communities to explore the risks and humanitarian impacts associated with nuclear weapons. Norway has also supported Norwegian people's aids work to assess global needs related to victims assistance and environmental remediation resulting from nuclear weapons testing. These initiatives reflect the value of strengthening both the evidence based and the exchange of experience on these issues. In this regard, we also welcome ongoing efforts within the United Nations to strengthen scientific understanding of the effects of nuclear weapons, notably through the UN Panel on the Effects of Nuclear War, to which Norway has provided financial support. Our hope is that this meeting will lay the groundwork for concrete actionable recommendations that translate discussion into action, strengthening cooperation and enabling more effective high quality assistance to the communities affected by the use and testing of nuclear weapons, as well as the remediation of environmental consequences thereof. Norway looks forward to continuing these discussions.

I thank you, co-chairs.

I thank the representative of Nauru for the statement. Next on my list is, and the last speaker, is Canada. Canada, you have the floor.

Co-chairs, Canada thanks Kazakhstan and Kiribati for their leadership. Canada has supported resolution 7960, and AT-56 and welcomes this opportunity to advance dialogue on victim assistance and environmental remediation. Canada remains deeply concerned about the catastrophic consequences of the use of nuclear weapons and the long-lasting harmful effects of explosive nuclear testing. It is now time to act in light of the evidence on these harmful effects, drawing on science as well as the knowledge and experience of affected communities. All future research should be aimed at addressing remaining knowledge gaps rather than delaying action. We need a better understanding of how impacts can vary according to sex, age, exposure pathway, geographic location, and local conditions. Particular attention should be given to the effects of ionizing radiation on women and girls, including its implications for reproductive health. Greater consistency in assessing impacts and needs could strengthen national responses as well as international cooperation. Important work is already underway to preserve scientific records, environmental data, and the knowledge held by affected communities. Efforts to identify gaps and facilitate appropriate access to relevant information must respect privacy, cultural knowledge, and the rights of affected communities. The knowledge and leadership of indigenous peoples are essential. Nuclear testing has affected indigenous lands, livelihoods, and cultural practices around the world. Research, environmental assessments, and decision-making processes affecting indigenous communities should be shaped and led by indigenous people themselves according to specific circumstances. Addressing existing harms must go hand in hand with preventing further nuclear explosive testing. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty is indispensable to that effort. The norm against nuclear explosive testing, which the CTBT has helped consolidate, is under growing pressure. Its entry into force remains long overdue, even as the prospect of resumed testing has reentered strategic discourse, which would have implications for decades of restraint. Such rhetoric makes the reversal of a decades-long norm appear thinkable. A resumption of testing could cause new harm, enable advances in nuclear arsenals, and prompt reciprocal risk-enhancing actions that would leave every state less secure. Canada urges all relevant states to uphold or adopt national moratoria against all nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosions. We call on the remaining Annex II states to sign and ratify, as applicable, without further delay and without preconditions. Credible multilateral verification can reduce uncertainty and help prevent suspicion from becoming escalation. Sustained support for the international monitoring system and international data center remains essential. The harms examined at the meeting at this meeting are precisely why the international community resolved and nuclear explosive testing. That resolve is only as strong as the decision states make when the norm comes under pressure. Canada will continue working with partners to uphold the global norm against testing, strengthen verification and secure the CTBT entry into force. Thank you.

I thank Canada for the statement. Thank you. This was the last speaker from Member States and observers. Distinguished delegates, we have reached the end of time for the morning meeting. As we have not yet concluded the general exchange of views, we will continue with the remaining speakers. when the meeting reconvenes at 3:00 p.m. And I will hand over the chairmanship of the meeting to my distinguished co-chair from Kiribati, Ms. Josephine Mauata, who will guide us in the afternoon session. The meeting is adjourned.