Source: UN News: Thursday, 30 April 2026 00:02 AM
Top diplomats from around the world are gathering at UN headquarters this week to review the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned on this occasion that changes are necessary to this treaty to remain relevant in this era of artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies. The UN chief has said in the style of a declaration, “We need to breathe life into this treaty once again.” In recent times, there have been reports of increase in the number of nuclear weapons. The option to test nuclear weapons is back in action, and global military spending has jumped to $2.7 trillion by 2025.UN Secretary General António Guterres, speaking to the General Assembly on Monday, said that the foundation of efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons is weakening, commitments are not being fulfilled and trust and credibility are declining. Today’s nuclear threat is further complicated by new threats from rapidly evolving technologies in artificial intelligence (AI) and computers. António Guterres, expressing concern over the increasing use of AI in military conflicts, reiterated the UN’s view that humanity must never relinquish control over nuclear weapons until they are completely eliminated. The UN Secretary-General’s warnings were also echoed by Do Hung Viet, Chairman of the current review of the NPT and Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the UN. He was unanimously selected for this responsibility on Monday. © ICAN/Darren Ornitz Protesters demanding nuclear disarmament in New York, November 2023. Record jumps in military spending Hoang Viet acknowledged the important role of the treaty in preventing the use of nuclear weapons during the past five decades. He also described the review conferences as a “reference point” for “where we stand and where we need to go.” Do Hung Viet said that path was becoming increasingly uncertain, with military spending reaching new record levels every year and nuclear arsenals expanding. “A world without the NPT would be one where the taboo against nuclear weapons becomes more blurred. This is not the future we want for ourselves or our children.” Vietnam’s ambassador warned in a conversation with journalists that although the treaty has helped prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons since the 1970s, its relevance and credibility are now at risk. “This is not just another conference. There is a lot at stake this time because these days, the threat of nuclear war is being seen and felt much more concretely. A nuclear arms race is looming.” The Vietnamese diplomat reminded that the previous two review conferences (in 2022 and 2015) had failed to reach consensus and called on delegates to work constructively to explore possibilities for agreement this time. © CTBTO/U.S. Government In March 1954, the United States conducted an atmospheric nuclear test at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Even before the review conference began, diplomats raised objections to Iran’s candidacy for the post of vice-chairman of the General Committee. The US representative said the move was an “insult to the NPT” and argued that Iran had violated the treaty by the way it pursued its nuclear programme. The US denied that Iran could be seen as a leader in the field of non-proliferation. Australia, Britain (also on behalf of France and Germany) and the United Arab Emirates also raised objections. However, the representative of Russia described the US intervention as an attempt to politicize the conference from the beginning and called on the criticizing delegations to present their views during the general debate. The representative of Iran responded to the objections, calling them “baseless and devoid of credibility” and calling the objections an attempt to manipulate the conference. He said, “The United States is the only country that has used nuclear weapons, and it continues to expand its arsenal in violation of its NPT obligations.” Do Hung Viet explained during his press conference that Iran was nominated for this designation by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) faction several months ago, and concerns were raised only in the past few days. To maintain consensus on the matter, he said that instead of demanding a vote, countries objecting to Iran’s candidacy agreed to formally disassociate themselves from the decision. Let us note that the 11th review of the NPT is being held at the UN Headquarters from April 27 to May 22. Live broadcast of sessions UN WebTV But it will be done.
