The meeting, running from April 27 to May 22, forms part of the Treaty on the Non‑Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) review process. In force since 1970, the NPT is regarded as one of the United Nations’ most significant security agreements, designed to curb the spread of nuclear weapons, advance nuclear disarmament, and promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The treaty has been ratified by 191 Member States, making the NPT one of the most widely adhered‑to multilateral agreements and a cornerstone of international security. Nuclear weapons have not been used in conflict since 1945, when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
However, the global system governing nuclear weapons is facing its most serious crisis in decades. Several Cold War‑era arms control agreements have been abandoned or expired, including the 2010 United States (US)‑Russia New START accord, which expired in February without a successor. United Nations (UN) Secretary‑General António Guterres warned at the time that the world was entering uncharted territory with no remaining legally binding constraints on the strategic nuclear arsenals of the US and the Russian Federation, which together hold the majority of the world’s nuclear weapons.
Divisions have also sharpened within the NPT process. The 2015 and 2022 review conferences ended without agreement on a substantive final document, reflecting persistent disagreements over obligations and the path forward.
UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu said the upcoming conference offers an opportunity to identify common ground despite an extremely difficult security environment and increasingly concerning rhetoric.
“The threat of nuclear weapons use is becoming more frequent, and normalisation must be avoided,” Izumi Nakamitsu said, warning that a higher number of nuclear‑armed states increases the risk of catastrophic miscalculation.
The review conference will assess implementation and prospects for progress on disarmament, restraint and cooperation at a time when the future of the global nuclear order is under strain.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
