Statement by the Permanent Representative H.E. Mr. Amrit Bahadur Rai at the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the

Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

 

 

Mr. President,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates.

 

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening this Meeting to commemorate and promote the international day for the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

Seventy-six years ago, the United Nations was born with the promise to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and the very first resolution of this August Assembly was about nuclear disarmament.

Ironically, today the stockpile of nuclear weapons has reached nearly to 14,000 nuclear warheads that can easily wipe out the entire humanity from the face of the earth.

On top of that, the trust deficit among nuclear states and resulting rise in geo-political tension tend to pose serious threat to peace.

Amid uncertainty, this year on 22 January, we have witnessed a sliver of hope when the “Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” entered into force despite the apathy in some quarters.

In celebrating this success, we must not forget the untold sorrow of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the responsibility of international community towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

For that, the billions of dollars aimed for nuclear programs should be redirected to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and in achieving the SDGs.

Mr. President,

Nepal calls for the general and complete disarmament of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in a time-bound manner.

We call for the strengthening of the NPT, CTBT and TPNW regimes.

We recognize the right of States to pursue peaceful use of nuclear technology for health care, agriculture and livestock productivity and disaster management.

As the host country to the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific, we believe that regional disarmament approaches such as the ‘Kathmandu Process’ can complement to the global disarmament dialogues.

To conclude, let me reaffirm Nepal’s commitment to work with all the UN Member States towards achieving the world free of nuclear weapons at the best interest of humanity.

I thank you.