President, distinguished delegates,
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of Panama and Norway.
During the past two years we have jointly coordinated the Process for the Facilitation of the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty – the CTBT.
On the occasion of the International Day against Nuclear Tests, we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a world free from nuclear testing and renew our determination to bring the CTBT into force.
The negotiation of the CTBT represents a landmark achievement in global efforts to uphold peace, security, and stability by banning all nuclear explosions.
The Treaty remains a cornerstone in preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and reducing the risk of global instability.
Over the years, we have collectively developed a robust and sophisticated verification regime, capable of real-time monitoring of nuclear test activities anywhere in the world.
This is a testament to the strength of effective international cooperation.
However, President, the only way to ensure a lasting and verifiable ban on nuclear testing is through the Treaty’s entry into force and universalization.
Norway and Panama firmly believe that advancing these goals serves the national interests of all States.
The time to complete the work we began decades ago is long overdue.
President,
We therefore reiterate our call on all States that have not yet signed and/or ratified the Treaty—particularly those listed in Annex II—to do so without further delay.
Annex II States bear a particular responsibility for the future of the Treaty.
In this regard, we express our deep regret over the Russian Federation’s decision to revoke its ratification of the CTBT.
We urge Russia to uphold its commitment to the Treaty, including continued participation in the International Monitoring System (IMS) and the sharing of data through the verification regime.
We also wish to highlight the constructive spirit of cooperation that led to the successful outcome of the Article XIV Conference held in New York in September 2023, and we wish the Philippines and Sweden the best of luck as the next coordinators of the Process for the Facilitation of the Entry into Force of the CTBT.
We are grateful to Dr. Robert Floyd and his dedicated team at the Provisional Technical Secretariat for their invaluable support during the last two years.
Norway and Panama reaffirm our strong dedication to the CTBT and encourage all States to maintain high-level political attention on this issue.
Together, we can realize the Treaty’s full potential: to end all nuclear explosions, everywhere, for all time.
Finally, let us use this day to reflect on the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear detonations.
We therefore once again call on all States to uphold existing moratoria on nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosions, and to refrain from any actions that would undermine the Treaty. Thank you, President.