Global Community Must Increase Cooperation to Achieve Nuclear-Weapon-Free World, Secretary-General Tells Awards Ceremony

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the award ceremony of the Nazarbayev Prize for a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World and Global Security, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, today:

I am honoured to address this ceremony, held on International Day against Nuclear Tests.

A world free of nuclear weapons, including banning nuclear testing, remains the highest disarmament priority of the United Nations.  Kazakhstan has been our strong supporter in this quest.  I thank former President Nursultan Nazarbayev for his commitment to this cause and the establishment of this prize.

This year’s laureates, the late Yukiya Amano and Lassina Zerbo, richly deserve this recognition.  Their leadership was essential in making the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization strong pillars of our efforts to eliminate nuclear danger.

Today, the disarmament and non-proliferation regime faces deep and growing challenges.  The international community must strengthen its cooperation to achieve our collective goal:  a world without nuclear weapons.

I count on your support in securing our common future.