Statement by H.E. Jayantha Jayasuriya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations
First Committee
80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Mr. Chair,
At the outset, allow me to congratulate you and the Bureau on your election. Sri Lanka assures you of its full support and looks forward to a constructive session that strengthens international peace and security.
My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and wishes to add the following remarks in our national capacity.
Mr. Chair,
When we adopted the Pact for the Future last year, we reaffirmed the urgency of addressing threats to peace and security, from nuclear weapons to the misuse of emerging technologies. As we sit here, one year later, conflicts persist, arms build-ups accelerate, and the architecture of disarmament faces challenges. We have all committed to multilateral cooperation. But distrust and militarization remain at a dangerous height.
Nuclear weapons remain the most existential danger. Nuclear sharing arrangements and lowered thresholds for use, only worsen the risk. The step-by-step approach has stalled; as NAM has stressed, a new direction is needed. Sri Lanka reiterates that the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is their complete elimination, through a comprehensive, verifiable, and time-bound process.
Sri Lanka is proud to be a State Party to the NPT, CTBT and TPNW. We call on all States to join these instruments without delay.
Mr. Chair,
Other weapons of mass destruction must not be overlooked. On biological weapons, we stress the urgent need for a legally binding verification regime. We also caution against new and emerging types of WMDs, which must be prohibited before they add new risks to humanity.
Outer space continues to ignite humankind’s sense of wonder and must not be transformed into another battlefield. Sri Lanka supports early negotiations on a legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space, building on the PPWT draft treaty and the 2024 report of the Group of Governmental Experts. We emphasize that space technologies, from climate monitoring to disaster management, are essential for sustainable development and must remain accessible to all, especially developing countries.
Mr. Chair,
Conventional weapons continue to wreak havoc on societies. The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons fuels conflicts, displaces communities, and undermines stability. Sri Lanka welcomes the consensus outcome of the Fourth Review Conference on the Programme of Action, and supports stronger marking, tracing, and international cooperation, including a dedicated funding mechanism for capacity building.
We have taken tangible steps nationally. Sri Lanka completed stockpile destruction under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention ahead of schedule and continues clearance with the goal of becoming mine-free by 2028. We have acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, having never used, produced, or stockpiled such weapons. These efforts are about restoring land, dignity, and opportunity to our people.
Mr. Chair,
Technological change is redefining the landscape of disarmament. Artificial intelligence, cyberspace, and lethal autonomous weapons systems pose profound legal and ethical challenges. Sri Lanka joins the NAM in calling for a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons and reiterates Sri Lanka’s call on the matter. We also support the establishment of a permanent UN mechanism on ICT security that ensures inclusivity, capacity building, and preserves cyberspace for peaceful purposes. Emerging technologies must remain tools for development, and not navigate to unfathomable new weapons.
Mr. Chair,
Sri Lanka is concerned to note that military expenditures rise to record levels while development and climate finance fall short. We cannot accept a future where humanity invests more in instruments of death and destruction than in the survival of our planet and the ability of all people to thrive. As the Lord Buddha’s words remind us: “All beings tremble at violence. All fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill”
Sri Lanka remains committed to working with all partners to advance disarmament and multilateralism as a path to human dignity and happiness, sustainable development, and a world free from the scourge of weapons. In seeing ourselves in others, we affirm that true security lies not in instruments of destruction, but in compassion, cooperation, and the will to do no harm.
Thank you.