Statement by Mr. Chatura Perera, Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations

NPT Review Conference 2026: Main Committee 3 – Peaceful use of nuclear energy

05 May 2026

 

Mr. Chair,

My delegation congratulates you on your assumption as Chair of Main Committee III. We assure you of our fullest support and cooperation.

Sri Lanka aligns itself with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We wish to make the following comments in our national capacity.

Mr. Chair,

There is a paradox at the heart of nuclear science. The same technology that produces the most destructive weapons in human history also holds the potential to improve the lives of millions - through medicine, agriculture, energy, and sustainable development. The NPT was designed not just to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. It ensures that all States parties can benefit from the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology. Article IV is a fundamental pillar of this Treaty, and we must treat it as such.

The inalienable right of all States parties to develop research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, without discrimination, is set in stone. It is also the sovereign right of each State to define its own energy policies, including the development of a full national fuel cycle. Any measure that restricts these rights is inconsistent with the letter and spirit of the Treaty.

Mr. Chair,

For developing countries like Sri Lanka, peaceful nuclear technology is linked to concrete progress in health, including cancer diagnosis and treatment, in agriculture, water management, and sustainable development. The IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme remains the main vehicle for delivering these benefits, and we support strengthening it. We call on all States parties to ensure that the programme is sustained through sufficient and predictable resources.

Sri Lanka became a founding member of the IAEA in 1957. Our Atomic Energy Act provides the legal framework for prohibiting nuclear weapons and for facilitating the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, including the implementation of our Safeguards Agreement with the Agency. We take our obligations seriously. We expect the same seriousness from all parties when it comes to respecting the rights that accompany those obligations.

Mr. Chair,

Safeguards should build confidence and open doors to cooperation. Developing countries must not be denied access to materials and technology for peaceful purposes that the Treaty entitles them to. Where there are proliferation concerns, the answer is multilateral cooperation and diplomatic dialogue and not unilateral restrictions that leave developing countries behind.

We also reaffirm that any attack or threat of attack against peaceful nuclear facilities constitutes a direct violation of international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter. The inviolability of peaceful nuclear installations must be upheld without exception.

Mr. Chair,

The promise of peaceful uses helped guide people on board this Treaty. For many nations, it was the reason they signed. If that promise is not kept, the foundation of this Treaty is greatly diminished.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.