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September 26, 2025 | UN General Assembly, New York
In September 1996, the UN General Assembly adopted A/RES/50/245 entitled “Comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty.” The resolution designated the UN Secretary-General as depositary of the treaty (CTBT). The treaty now has 178 ratifications and 187 signatures, with Papua New Guinea being the most recent ratifier in 2024.
CTBTO Executive Secretary
Robert Floyd
Recalling the history of the Trinity Tests as well as the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, The Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive-Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization also used text from the NPT’s preamble to call upon all States to support the CTBT. He reiterated the CTBTO’s mission, and highlighted how its International Monitoring System (IMS) has recently played a crucial role in debunking misinformation about earthquakes in Iran being caused by nuclear tests.
Member State Highlights
New Zealand
New Zealand expressed concern over Russia’s decision to revoke its ratification of the CTBT and condemned the DPRK’s nuclear testing activities. New Zealand congratulated Papua New Guinea for joining the treaty, underscoring the Pacific’s collective position against nuclear testing. New Zealand noted the dual benefits of the IMS, commending its scientific and disarmament furthering functions. New Zealand urged States to support the upcoming UN General Assembly resolution on the CTBT.
Austria
Austria highlighted its role as a proud sponsor and host of the CTBTO, reaffirming its commitment to the universalization of the treaty. Austria pointed out that only one nation has violated the CTBT in this century, clearly referring to North Korea. Austria positioned the CTBT as a necessary part of the broader nuclear disarmament architecture, commending its credibility and the urgent need for its entry into force.
South Africa
South Africa called to attention the incompatibility of possessing nuclear weapons and respecting International Humanitarian Law (IHL). It urged all States to sign and ratify the CTBT without delay. South Africa cautioned against empty declarations that obstruct progress towards the establishment of Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zones (NWFZs), and supports the creation of a NWFZ in the Middle East.
Egypt
Egypt recalled its hosting of the 2024 CTBTO workshop in Cairo. It noted that the linkage between the CTBT and NPT relies on Nuclear-Weapon States fulfilling their obligations under both regimes. Egypt lamented the lack of progress towards the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East and the failures of successive NPT RevCons. In that vein, Egypt declared that States have a collective responsibility to ensure that no State remains outside the NPT.
Malta
Malta expressed concern over the CTBT’s delayed entry into force. Malta urged States to observe moratoria on nuclear explosions and highlighted the disproportionate effects of nuclear testing on women, girls, and indigenous communities.
Netherlands
Speaking on behalf of the Friends of the CTBT Group, the Netherlands expressed regret over Russia’s withdrawal of its ratification. It reaffirmed its confidence in the CTBTO as a reliable pillar of the non-proliferation regime, and noted with satisfaction the civil applications of the IMS (such as monitoring tsunamis and earthquakes). The Netherlands pledged to continue supporting the treaty’s universalization.
The Legacy of Nuclear Testing
Acknowledging the origins of the CTBT, it came as a culmination of persistent calls from Non-Nuclear States and civil society. Building upon the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty which only banned nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater, the CTBT prohibits all nuclear explosions (including underground explosions). The legacy of nuclear testing is not history, it is a lived reality. Ranging from: Algeria, Australia, China, French Polynesia, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, the United States and so on; the legacy of nuclear testing demands victim assistance and environmental remediation. Malta’s remarks on the gendered impact of nuclear testing also shed light on the glacial progress towards achieving the goals of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda — calling for the full and equal participation of women in disarmament forums and peacebuilding.
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