Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for 2026 Review Conference of Parties to the NPT- 28 April 2025
Mr. President,
At the outset, allow me to extend warm congratulations to you on assuming the chairmanship of the third session of the Preparatory Committee. Sri Lanka is confident in your stewardship and pledges its full support as we move toward a successful and constructive outcome.
We meet today against a deeply troubling backdrop. The global nuclear landscape is marked by rising tensions, explicit and implicit nuclear threats, and an alarming reliance on the military doctrine of stockpiling nuclear weapons for deterrence. There is no mistaking the gravity of the moment. What was once a theoretical risk is now dangerously tangible. The world faces severe challenges like poverty and climate change that require urgent attention and funding, yet nuclear-armed states continue to spend billions of dollars every year in an arms race for weapons that represent a truly existential threat.
Sri Lanka is especially concerned by the stiffening of nuclear postures, the modernization of arsenals and the use of emerging technologies, and the deployment or sharing of weapons across borders - all of which deepen mistrust and risk of taking the world into nuclear war. This alarming situation reminds us to reaffirm and strengthen our global commitment to the NPT.
Mr. President,
We are approaching the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. The very first General Assembly resolution called for the elimination of nuclear weapons - a clear reminder of how essential and unfulfilled that call remains. The NPT is a pillar of international security - a cornerstone shaped through decades of dialogue, commitment, and compromise. For Sri Lanka, the Treaty’s three foundational pillars - disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, are inseparable. They must be upheld with equal conviction. They are all equally important to ensuring a safe world now and for generations to come.
While the last Review Conference did not yield consensus, we must not allow that outcome to diminish the substantive value of the Treaty itself. The draft outcome document of the Tenth Review Conference, though not adopted, contains substantive elements that offer us a path forward. It is imperative that we build on that foundation during this review cycle.
Sri Lanka reaffirms its longstanding commitment to nuclear disarmament and global peace. We remain guided by the conviction that the only absolute guarantee against the use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination. In September 2023, we took a significant step by acceding to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). We believe that the TPNW is a vital complement to the NPT, reinforcing its disarmament objectives and offering legal clarity in pursuit of a world free of nuclear weapons.
In the same spirit, Sri Lanka ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) last year and reiterate our call for its early entry into force. The maintenance of a global moratorium on nuclear testing is critical - not only as a measure of restraint, but as a clear commitment of our collective will to halt the arms race.
Sri Lanka also continues to support legally binding Negative Security Assurances as an interim measure toward complete disarmament. Assurances provided by nuclear-weapon states must be credible, unconditional, and universal. We further echo growing concern over emerging military doctrines that integrate artificial intelligence into nuclear command and control systems. Pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, there must be meaningful human control over all nuclear systems – we must not leave the fate of humanity to technologies.
Mr. President,
We cannot speak of security in isolation from humanity. Our efforts here are to protect human lives. The use of a nuclear weapon - even a single one - would have utterly devastating humanitarian and environmental consequences that no nation can prepare for or mitigate.The long-term damage to ecosystems and the irreversible blow to sustainable development are well-documented. We welcome the growing acknowledgment of these impacts, and the establishment of platforms to study and address them, including through the TPNW.
As a country that called for the creation of denuclearized zones at the first NAM Summit in Cairo, Sri Lanka remains a strong proponent of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones.
At a time of deepening global inequalities, challenges to food and energy security, and climate instability, the peaceful application of nuclear science can contribute meaningfully to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. However, access to such technology must be balanced carefully against non-proliferation concerns. We support efforts to ensure that nuclear energy is used solely for peaceful purposes under strict safeguards, and we reaffirm the central role of the IAEA as the sole competent authority in this regard.
Mr. President,
The indefinite extension of the NPT in 1995, led by the efforts of the Conference President, the late Jayantha Dhanapala, was a milestone of conviction. It was a testament to the world’s faith in multilateral cooperation and collective security. That faith is now tested, but certainly not lost. The way forward demands a return to principle: to uphold the NPT, implement its commitments, and bridge divides with sincerity.
We still have the opportunity, indeed the responsibility, to strengthen the NPT and uphold its promise. Sri Lanka remains firmly dedicated to the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons.
I thank you.