Mr. Chairperson,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Members of the Association of South East Asian Nations or ASEAN.
2. ASEAN congratulates Ambassador Rytis Paulauskas of Lithuania and his bureau from South Africa, Uruguay, New Zealand and Iran, on their election as Chair and bureau of the First Committee of this 78th Session of the UN General Assembly. We assure your team of our support in advancing the important work of this Committee. We also wish to recognize the Under-Secretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs for their tireless and consistent efforts in advancing the disarmament agenda at the United Nations, particularly in this challenging geopolitical landscape where the global peace and security architecture continues to be under pressure from heightened tensions between major powers, modernization of nuclear arsenals, an accelerating arms race, and ongoing conflicts in different parts of the world

Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation

3. We express concern over the declining commitment and cooperation in global disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control mechanisms, and call on countries, especially Nuclear Weapon States (NWS), to maintain and fully implement their obligations and commitments under these mechanisms, including in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

4. ASEAN also remains concerned about the dire consequences of any use of nuclear weapons on people’s health, socioeconomic livelihood, environment and sustainable development.
5. While welcoming the convening of the 10th NPT Review Conference, ASEAN regrets that it concluded without a consensus outcome document that could have provided much- needed additional momentum towards general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. ASEAN continues to call on all States Parties to the NPT to renew their commitments to the full and effective implementation of the Treaty, particularly Article VI and to pursue best efforts to protect the credibility and integrity of the NPT and to rally towards a much-desired meaningful consensual outcome document of the 11th NPT Review Conference in 2026.
6. We call on the NWS to fulfil their obligations in advancing nuclear disarmament in accordance with the Article VI of the NPT and to recognise the need to completely eliminate nuclear weapons, which remains the only way to guarantee that nuclear weapons are never used again under any circumstances.
7. ASEAN calls on all NWS to fulfill all of their nuclear disarmament obligations and commitments, and emphasizes the need for them to adhere to accountability through benchmarks, and concrete, measurable, timebound actions on nuclear disarmament with established deadlines, and to report their implementation of their obligations until the goal of total elimination of nuclear weapons is achieved, in a structured manner that allows Non-Nuclear Weapon States to engage constructively on their reports.
8. ASEAN reaffirms its collective position against nuclear tests and continues to stress the importance of achieving universal adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) without delay. All ASEAN Member States have ratified the CTBT, and we join others in urging the remaining Annex 2 States to sign and ratify the Treaty as soon as possible so that the Treaty’s entry into force may finally be realized.

SEANWFZ

9. We reiterate our commitment to preserving the Southeast Asian region as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) and free of all other weapons of mass destruction as enshrined in the ASEAN Charter and the SEANWFZ Treaty, and stress the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Treaty.
10. ASEAN will be tabling its updated resolution on the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (Bangkok Treaty) under the item on “General and complete disarmament”. We are committed to further enhance and strengthen the implementation of the Bangkok Treaty by implementing the Plan of Action for the period 2023-2027 as adopted in Phnom Penh in 2022, with a renewed commitment and a stronger emphasis on concrete actions.

TPNW

11. ASEAN reiterates that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), which held its First Meeting of State Parties in June 2022, is a historic agreement that contributes towards global nuclear disarmament and complements other existing nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation instrument. It is hoped that the Treaty would contribute to furthering the agreed global objective of the total elimination of nuclear weapons. States Parties and signatories to the TPNW are fully committed to its implementation and are engaging constructively in preparation for the Second Meeting of States Parties to the TPNW towards achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.
12. We reiterate the importance of strengthening efforts to address common regional challenges in a strategic and holistic manner in the area of disarmament and non- proliferation.

CWC

13. We note the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and reaffirm our commitment to this landmark treaty. We reaffirm our full support to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to carry out its mandated work as the implementing body of the CWC in a comprehensive, objective, and impartial manner, in complementarity with the work of the UN.

BWC

14. We also reaffirm our commitment to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) and, recognising the necessity of multilateral negotiations and noting the lack of a verification measure, the latter of which poses a challenge to the effectiveness of the BWC, welcome the establishment of the Working Group on Strengthening the BWC. We also place great importance on enhancing international cooperation, assistance, and exchanges in toxins, biological agents, equipment, and technology for peaceful purposes.

Outer Space

15. We note ongoing multilateral discussions on emerging issues involving international peace and security, such as outer space. We reiterate that access to outer space is an inalienable right of all States and that the use of outer space should exclusively be for peaceful purposes only, and for the collective benefit of humanity.

Conventional Weapons Control

16. ASEAN recognizes the legitimate right and authority of sovereign nations to use conventional weapons to maintain internal security and to defend territorial integrity, while underlining the need to address the growing illicit proliferation of conventional weapons, which hampers economic and social progress and threatens peace and security. In this regard, ASEAN welcomes the consensus adoption of the final report of the eight Biennial Meeting of States (BMS8) on the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (POA), welcomes the Meeting’s decision to establish a standing dedicated fellowship training programme on small arms and light weapons particularly for developing countries, and looks forward to the 4th Review Conference on the POA in 2024. Further, ASEAN welcomes the adoption of the final report of the OEWG to elaborate a set of political commitments as a new global framework that will address existing gaps in through-life ammunition management last June.

Security of and in the Use of Information and Communications Technologies

17. ASEAN reaffirms its commitment in building an open, safe, secure, stable, accessible, interoperable, peaceful and resilient cyberspace. We welcome the adoption, by consensus, of the Second Annual Progress Report during the Fifth Substantive Session of the open-ended working group (OEWG) on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies (2021-2025). ASEAN will continue to render full support and cooperation to Ambassador Burhan Gafoor of Singapore in his capacity as the Chair of the OEWG (2021-2025).

Disarmament Machinery

18. ASEAN is hopeful for continuing productive work in disarmament, as we begin a new three-year cycle of the UNDC. As we move forward with the deliberations, we wish to stress that, while States have legitimate rights to ensure their own security, this should not be at the expense of the collective security of all States. In this regard, ASEAN recognizes the value of multilateralism in instituting a rules-based approach to norms and as a tool for building trust.
19. Finally, ASEAN supports the full and effective implementation of other relevant efforts, including Security Council Resolution 1540 and the United Nations Secretary General’s Agenda for Disarmament to advance nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation in a concrete, holistic, and integrated manner. ASEAN takes note of the Secretary General’s New Agenda for Peace which outlines his vision for multilateral efforts for peace and security, based on international law, for a world in transition. The Secretary General can count on ASEAN to remain engaged and active in the discussion in this regard.

Mr. Chairperson,

20. In closing, ASEAN remains steadfast in its commitment to advancing global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. As we navigate a complex geopolitical landscape, marked by escalating tensions, nuclear-weapon modernization, and conflicts, ASEAN emphasizes the urgent need for unity and cooperation among nations. We advocate for strengthened international cooperation, aiming for a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Through multilateralism and a rules-based approach, we look forward to contributing to a safer, more peaceful global order.