Making the United Nations Relevant to all People– As delivered –
Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly
9 September 2019
Mr. Secretary-General, António Guterres,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Let me begin by welcoming Her Excellency, Dr. Annika Thunborg, former spokesperson and Chief of Public Information of Preparatory Commission of the CTBTO and Ambassador of Sweden to Mexico and Mr. Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, who will be making statements shortly.
Dear Mr. Secretary-General, António Guterres,
Every year, the International Day Against Nuclear Weapons Tests provides an important opportunity to enhance public awareness and education about the devastating effects of nuclear weapon tests. Every year, on this occasion we call for the cessation of those tests, which is a crucial milestone to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.
This year marks the 10th observance of the day. It is an occasion to reflect on our shared vision of nuclear disarmament – as set out in the very first resolution of the General Assembly; to assess where we are headed if we continue on our current trajectory; and to discuss together how we can close the gap between the two.
Some 2000 nuclear tests have been conducted since 1945, with devastating consequences for people and for our planet. The effects – on lives and livelihoods; on human health; on soil and groundwater; on animals, birds and marine life; on the atmosphere – reverberate across generations, with profound impacts on all aspects of sustainable development.
Today, we honour the memory of all victims of nuclear tests and pay our respects to those whose lives have been adversely affected. We owe it to them, and to generations unborn, not to repeat the horror of nuclear tests and nuclear weapon explosions.
I pay tribute to the Government of Kazakhstan for its leadership on this issue and express my solidarity with those who continue to be affected by the hundreds of tests carried out at Semipalatinsk – the first of which was conducted 70 years ago. In 1991, you took the bold and necessary step to close down this test site and you have been a vocal proponent for nuclear disarmament ever since: supporting the establishment of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone, as well as the creation of this International Day.
And here, I would like to take a moment to express again my sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Yukiya Amano, the late Director-General of the IAEA, who passed away last July.
He will be remembered for his principled leadership and sound judgement, for his handling of the international response to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, and for increasing international confidence in IAEA nuclear safeguards. I am sure his legacy will endure.
Excellencies,
We are moving through a dangerous period – one marked by tensions between nuclear-armed states. These differences can only be resolved through dialogue. We cannot even contemplate the destructive power of the world’s existing nuclear arsenal, although contemplate it we must, as the humanitarian impact initiative has shown.
Nuclear weapons and tests are totally at odds with our commitment to the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. Not only do they affect people, they affect our planet, our prosperity, our ability to forge the partnerships we need, and our prospects for peace.
The adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty by the General Assembly in 1996 was an important moment in our quest for disarmament. I commend the 168 Member States who have already ratified the Treaty and urge the remaining 8 CTBT Annex 2 States to join them, so that this crucial treaty can enter into force. I also encourage states to follow the lead of Kazakhstan and others in ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
This year marks the 10th observance of the day. It is an occasion to reflect on our shared vision of nuclear disarmament – as set out in the very first resolution of the General Assembly; to assess where we are headed if we continue on our current trajectory; and to discuss together how we can close the gap between the two.
In October 2012, nuclear scientists and engineers from Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and the United States celebrated the completion of a joint 17-year project to secure fissile material left behind in mountain tunnels following the abandoning of the Semipalatinsk site. This example of collaboration should inspire us, even in these difficult times, to work together in pursuit of a world free of nuclear weapons. That is the best way to honour the victims of nuclear bombs and tests, and to ensure no more join their ranks in the future.
I thank you for your attention.
