Kazakhstan Takes Lead in Global Nuclear Disarmament Efforts in New York
The third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) was recently held at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The session, presided over by Kazakhstan, highlighted the pressing need for continued efforts towards achieving a nuclear-free world in the face of escalating global security concerns.
Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Akan Rakhmetullin, opened the meeting by emphasizing the significance of ongoing disarmament efforts. He emphasized the historical importance of the session, coinciding with the UN’s 80th anniversary and commemorating 80 years since the first wartime use of nuclear weapons. Rakhmetullin stressed the urgent mission to address the growing global threat posed by the presence and potential deployment of nuclear weapons, as indicated by the Doomsday Clock moving closer to midnight.
Reflecting on the progress made since the TPNW’s entry into force, Rakhmetullin highlighted the treaty’s role as an effective disarmament mechanism. He urged state parties to work towards universalizing and implementing the agreement in order to ensure the complete abolition of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan’s commitment to disarmament, rooted in its history of enduring over 450 nuclear tests, drove Rakhmetullin’s call for collective action towards establishing an international trust fund for victims’ assistance and environmental remediation.
The UN’s Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, echoed the importance of the TPNW in addressing rising geopolitical tensions and the lack of meaningful progress in disarmament efforts. Despite challenges, Nakamitsu highlighted positive developments such as the treaty’s expanding membership and growing recognition of the catastrophic effects of nuclear weapons. She urged states to strengthen their engagement ahead of the treaty’s first review conference in 2026.
Melissa Parke, an executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), emphasized the need for urgent action towards nuclear disarmament. Drawing attention to the devastating impact of nuclear weapons and the possibility of their dismantlement, Parke highlighted Kazakhstan and South Africa as examples that prove nuclear disarmament is achievable. She warned of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear catastrophe and condemned the modernization and expansion of nuclear arsenals by nuclear-armed nations.
Elyse Mosquini, representing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), emphasized the TPNW’s role in strengthening international law, advancing disarmament, and addressing the long-term harm caused by nuclear weapons. Highlighting the treaty as a landmark achievement, Mosquini called on states to reaffirm the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons and denounce any threats of their use. She urged continued efforts towards establishing an international trust fund for victim assistance and environmental remediation to ensure the treaty’s full and effective implementation.
