General Assembly: Plenary | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases
Despite progress made, the threat posed by nuclear weapons still looms unacceptably large, exacerbated by a world once again torn apart by conflict and strife, the President of the General Assembly warned today on the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
“On this day, 33 years ago, the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site in Kazakhstan — where the former Soviet Union conducted 456 nuclear tests — was permanently closed, marking a pivotal moment in the global effort to end unrestrained nuclear testing,” General Assembly President Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago) told the hall.
But geopolitical tensions are at their highest in decades — from Europe to the Middle East, from Africa to Asia. As a result, the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime faces significant setbacks. “In recent years, we have witnessed the return of dangerous, irresponsible and reckless rhetoric — suggesting that the real risk of resort to nuclear arms may, once again, not be a far-fetched reality,” he added.
Alarmingly, a nuclear-armed State has revoked its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), he continued. “I am deeply concerned by these developments — as it seems that we have not yet learned from the painful lessons of the past,” he added. It is the international community’s collective responsibility “to ensure that we do not turn back the clock and allow the same mistakes to occur once more”. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty remains the best safety net to ensure that nuclear testing stays where it belongs — in the past.
Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, delivering the statement on behalf of the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, and speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, António Guterres, said that the CTBT represents the collective determination to consign nuclear tests to the “dustbin of history”. The Treaty’s International Monitoring System and the International Data Centre provide the technical foundation that ensures no nuclear test goes undetected. The robustness of this verification regime is another testament to our shared dedication to a world free from nuclear tests.
“The threat of nuclear weapons use, in any form, is a grave danger that we must resist with all our might,” he stressed, urging all States that have yet to sign or ratify the CTBT to do so promptly. “We use this day to reflect on the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapon testing,” he added. The relics of nuclear testing, still visible in the scars left on our environment and the health and lives of countless individuals, serve as a sombre reminder of our duty to prevent history from repeating itself. “The complete cessation of nuclear testing is not only a security necessity, but also a moral obligation — one that compels us to heal the wounds of the past and safeguard the future of humanity,” he stressed.
Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, highlighting the achievement of a long period without nuclear tests, said: “today we are in a strong silver medal position” for 2,558 days nuclear tests free with the last recorded in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in 2017. “We will set a fine new record, if we get to mid-January 2026 without another test,” he observed. Recalling that between 1964 and 1984, there was one massive nuclear explosion recoded on average daily, he pointed out the traces from these tests, which are still found across the world, including in sharks’ eye-tissue in the Arctic seas as well as in the coral in the Great Barrier Reef. The CTBT, opened for signature in 1996, has dramatically reduced the number of nuclear tests, with fewer than a dozen tests since its inception, he noted.
Emphasizing the role of the International Monitoring System, a network of over 300 facilities worldwide that monitor seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide data to detect nuclear tests, he underscored the accessibility of this data to all 187 signatory States. Despite the Treaty’s success, it has not yet entered into force because out of 44 named States nine have not ratified it yet, he stressed, adding: “Momentum towards universality is increasing.” He went on to warn that without full ratification, the Treaty lacks essential verification tools, such as on-site inspections — “the unambiguously certain way” to determine whether a nuclear test has occurred.
Drawing attention to “dangerous times” in many parts of the world, he outlined a potential scenario where the absence of on-site inspections could lead to tensions and misunderstandings if a suspicious event is detected. “We need this mechanism now”, he underscored, urging the States to be open to “the bold leadership needed to see the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty enter into force”.
Vivian Okeke, Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Liaison Office in New York, speaking on behalf of IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to assist States in assessing and remediating areas affected by nuclear weapons tests, with ongoing projects like the one at the Semipalatinsk test site. “The work will continue in the years to come and serves as a strong reminder of the long-term hazardous effects of nuclear weapons testing,” she stated.
For nearly 70 years, IAEA has played a vital role in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons while promoting the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology, which supports over half of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Director General has launched several initiatives, such as Rays of Hope, ZODIAC, NUTEC Plastics and Atoms4Food, to enhance the peaceful applications of nuclear technology, particularly in developing countries, she noted. While recognizing that nuclear safety and security are national responsibilities, she stated that IAEA also “serves as the international forum” in which countries work together to develop safety standards and safety guidelines.
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