Second Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction

Remarks by H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly

29 November 2021

Mr. Chair,

Secretary-General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to address the Second Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction.   

We witnessed many decades ago the destruction, chaos, and enduring tragedy unleashed by nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

We resolved never to use those weapons again, understanding that the alternative would mean the destruction of human civilization as we know it.

And we were eager to leave behind a world torn by death and destruction – to usher in an enduring peace.

It is thus ironic and unfortunate that, despite our progress in making peace, our destructive capacity has reached new extremes.

And it is tragic that despite the world bearing witness to their devastating consequences, and resolving never to use them again, states have continued to invest, innovate and build nuclear weapons.

Even as we speak, 15,000 nuclear weapons remain within the stockpiles of states. Many naively assume that being in possession of these weapons makes them safer, when the actual result is the opposite.

Possession by one state incentivizes others to produce them, resulting in a security dilemma that threatens to envelop the entire world in a mushroom cloud.

It is not outside the realm of possibility that, on our current trajectory, every minor geopolitical squabble could trigger catastrophic global consequences.

Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regimes remain pivotal in ensuring that such an intolerable reality never manifests. And Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones are crucial to the success of disarmament and non-proliferation regimes.

To date, there are five regions – Latin America and the Caribbean, South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Africa and Central Asia, that have established Nuclear-Weapon Free Zones. It is my sincere hope that the Middle East will follow suit.        

Like other regions, the geopolitics of the Middle East are complex. Reaching just settlements that will satisfy all parties requires sound diplomacy and negotiations based on good faith.

The addition of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction to the region’s politics will complicate an already challenging process, undermining trust and portending existential consequences.

It was in recognition of this that the General Assembly mandated a nuclear weapons free Middle East in 1974. I am hopeful that this second conference will result in a significant breakthrough toward this goal.

I am mindful that the success of regional efforts will draw from the momentum of global non-proliferation efforts.

I am inspired by progress on this front, including the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and the renewal of the START treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation for an additional five-year term.

Further, I am encouraged by the ongoing talks by state parties seeking to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.  

Excellencies, despite progress, we still have much more work to do.

More Member States must join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to ensure its universal adherence.

Similarly, not enough states have signed and ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, twenty-five years after its adoption. I call on states to sign and ratify this important treaty.

As we take stock of our progress and shortcomings, the upcoming 2020 NPT Review Conference – to be held from the 4^th to the 28^th  of January in 2022 – provides us an opportunity to renew our commitments. To make meaningful progress in our efforts towards non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

A new agenda for peace, as proposed by the Secretary General in the ‘Our Common Agenda’ Report, is a welcome initiative to renew our vision and commitment toward a world free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.

Excellencies.

As a global community we are now striving to leave behind a tragic pandemic that has taken a toll on all of us.

A pandemic that has reminded us that we all share a common destiny. Reminded us of our obligations to work together to overcome challenges and shape a better future – one that is more peaceful, more just, and more secure.

A world without nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

We have it within us to usher in such a world. It is humanity’s hope and our responsibility to deliver it.

Thank you.