Citing Rising Geopolitical Division, Aggression, Secretary-General Urges Commitment towards New Consensus to Eliminate Nuclear Threat for Good, in Observance Message

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, observed on 26 September:

On the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, we reject the claim that nuclear disarmament is some impossible utopian dream.  Eliminating these devices of death is not only possible, it is necessary.

At a moment of rising geopolitical division, mistrust and outright aggression, we are in danger of forgetting the terrible lessons of Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the cold war, and inciting a humanitarian Armageddon.

Last month, at their tenth Review Conference, the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons came close to consensus on a substantive outcome.  While this unique moment failed to result in the outcome we so desperately need, we urge all States to use every avenue of dialogue, diplomacy and negotiation to ease tensions and reduce risk.

More broadly, we need a new vision for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.  My proposed “New Agenda for Peace” calls for meaningful disarmament and developing a common understanding of the multiple threats before us so we can end the nuclear threat, once and for all.

Eliminating nuclear weapons would be the greatest gift we could bestow on future generations.  On this important day, let us commit to forging a new consensus around defusing the nuclear threat for good and achieving our shared goal of peace.