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UN Chief Urges Renewed Efforts to Revive Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for renewed efforts to revive the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) at its 11th Review Conference. He warned that the treaty is eroding, commitments remain unfulfilled, and nuclear warheads are increasing for the first time in decades. Guterres urged countries to recommit to disarmament and non-proliferation, emphasizing new threats from artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The conference runs from April 27 to May 22 at UN Headquarters in New York.

Key Points: UN Chief Calls for Renewed NPT Efforts to Prevent Nuclear Annihilation

  • UN chief warns of eroding NPT commitments
  • Nuclear warheads on the rise for first time in decades
  • New technologies like AI compound nuclear threats
  • Conference runs April 27 to May 22 in New York
2 min read

UN chief urges renewed efforts to invigorate landmark non-proliferation treaty

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges global action to reinvigorate the NPT, warning of rising nuclear threats and the need for disarmament.

"We need to breathe life into the treaty once more. - Antonio Guterres"

Washington, April 27

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for renewed efforts to "bring life" into the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Across the decades, the international community developed a web of instruments to prevent the use, proliferation and testing of nuclear weapons, and achieve their total elimination, with the NPT as the bedrock of those efforts, Guterres said at the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, which will run from April 27 to May 22 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Warning that the treaty has been eroding, commitments remain unfulfilled, trust and credibility are wearing thin, and the drivers of proliferation are accelerating, Guterres said: "This conference provides a timely opportunity to stand together and safeguard humanity from the grave threat of nuclear annihilation," reported Xinhua news agency.

Noting that "a state of collective amnesia has taken hold" and "nuclear sabers rattle once more," the UN chief said that for the first time in decades, the number of nuclear warheads is "on the rise" and nuclear testing is "back on the table."

"We need to breathe life into the treaty once more," he stressed, urging countries to keep their promises under the NPT.

"It's time to re-commit to disarmament and non-proliferation as the only true path to peace, by reinforcing the norm against nuclear testing, by strengthening the safeguards system and the IAEA's (International Atomic Energy Agency) oversight, and by agreeing (on) the measures needed to prevent nuclear war," he said.

The UN chief underlined that the nuclear threat is compounded by new dangers from rapidly evolving technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, noting that the treaty must grapple with the nexus between nuclear weapons and new technologies.

"With your support and engagement, the treaty can remain an active and strong foundation for a world free of nuclear weapons in our fast-moving age," said the secretary-general.

"So before it's too late: let's break the collective amnesia around nuclear weapons. Let's renew faith in what we can achieve when we stand as one. Let's act with urgency to lift this cloud hanging over humanity," he said.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sneha F
It's ironic that the UN is talking about non-proliferation while the major nuclear powers (US, Russia, etc.) still have thousands of warheads. The NPT was never designed to be fair - it's basically nuclear apartheid. India didn't sign because it's discriminatory, and yet we've been model citizens compared to some NPT members. That said, the rise in testing and warhead numbers globally is terrifying. We need a serious commitment to disarmament, not just talk-fests every five years.
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Varun X
Yaar, the UN and these conferences are just a circus. Meanwhile, Pakistan keeps blocking the FMCT (Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty) and China is expanding its nuclear arsenal in Tibet. Talk is cheap - India should focus on our credible minimum deterrent. If the world wants non-proliferation, they need to start with the actual violators. But Guterres is right about AI and quantum computing creating new risks - that's something our DRDO needs to prepare for.
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Michelle N
As someone living in a country not directly threatened by nukes, it's easy to ignore this until you read about how the Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than ever. The irony is that India, despite not being an NPT signatory, has some of the best non-proliferation credentials outside the P5. We should push for universal disarmament while maintaining our own security needs. And yes, the new tech dimensions - AI, cyber warfare, quantum - need urgent global norms.
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Rajesh Q
Guterres is spot on about "collective amnesia". After the Cold War, people thought nukes were a relic of the past. But now with Russia threatening nuclear use in Ukraine, North Korea testing like crazy, and the US modernizing its arsenal, we're back to square one. India needs to be part of the solution, but on our terms. We can't be expected to disarm while our adversaries keep building. That said, any step towards reducing global nuclear risks is welcome.

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