The Third Conference of States Parties to the TPNW concluded in March, chaired by Kazakhstan, with significant agreements on nuclear disarmament. The adopted Political Declaration stressed the dangers of nuclear threats and launched an International Trust Fund for victims of nuclear weapon use. Kazakhstan’s leadership was praised, highlighting the nation’s commitment to global security and non-proliferation efforts.
The Third Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), chaired by Kazakhstan, concluded at UN headquarters on March 7. The discussions led by Kazakhstan fostered meaningful dialogue, resulting in consensus on important documents to improve the treaty’s implementation and reaffirmed the global commitment to nuclear disarmament.
Delegates adopted a Political Declaration that condemned nuclear threats and acknowledged the severe humanitarian and environmental repercussions of nuclear weaponry. First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Akan Rakhmetullin, the conference president, highlighted the urgent necessity for nuclear disarmament, referencing the devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, alongside the nuclear tests conducted at the Semipalatinsk Test Site.
A significant outcome from the conference was the approval of a proposal by Kazakhstan and Kiribati to create an International Trust Fund. This initiative intends to support victims of nuclear weapon usage and testing as well as aid in the rehabilitation of contaminated environments. Delegates planned to finalize the fund’s framework by mid-2026, with an intention to launch it at the 2026 TPNW Review Conference.
The conference participants agreed on strategies to increase the number of TPNW states parties and to enhance collaboration with parliaments, academic institutions, and civil society to further disarmament efforts. Many delegates commended Kazakhstan’s leadership, honoring its long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament and its reliable foreign policy under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Kazakhstan’s side events included an exhibition titled “Semipalatinsk Test Site: The Cost of Nuclear Weapons – A Warning to the World,” featuring contributions from various institutions, as well as personal accounts from witnesses through the “Echoes of the Polygon” exhibition and the documentary film “I Want to Live On.”
Kazakhstan’s presidency at the conference underscored its pivotal role in the global anti-nuclear movement, especially in the year marking the UN’s 80th anniversary. Through effective leadership, Kazakhstan has solidified its stature as a middle power with a balanced foreign policy.
The TPNW, adopted in 2017 and enacted in 2021, represents the first legally binding international framework aimed at the complete eradication of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan is recognized as a leader in this anti-nuclear movement, having renounced the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal and closed the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.
The conclusion of the Third Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons marked significant strides in the global commitment to nuclear disarmament. Key developments include the establishment of an International Trust Fund aimed at assisting victims of nuclear activities and enhancing cooperative measures for disarmament. Kazakhstan’s leadership was pivotal in shaping the outcomes of the conference, reaffirming its role as a major proponent of nuclear disarmament.
Original Source: astanatimes.com
