Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,??

Mr. Dennis Francis,??

at the High Level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of?Nuclear?Weapons

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Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I stand before you today with a stark reminder –?nuclear?weapons pose an?existential threat?to all humanity.

I wish I were being hyperbolic, but the truth is that the risk of?nuclear?annihilation is not a chapter from our past; it is a haunting reality of our present.

Our world is unprecedently fractured, torn by divisions that manifest themselves at every level, even within these hallowed halls.

Reports paint a grim picture, revealing that over the last 15 years, violence has been on the rise at all levels – from interstate conflicts to intrastate strife, from state-sponsored aggression to violent actions by non-state actors.

And the threat of?nuclear?force is once again being implied, to our collective shock and horror.?

This is not just concerning; it is downright terrifying.

There is a domino effect to a?nuclear?armed multipolar world, and the more agitated people and nations become, the higher the risk of stumbling mistakenly into a?nuclear?nightmare.

We should never underestimate the human propensity for destruction.

There is only one path to avoid?nuclear?Armageddon: that is the complete and absolute elimination of?nuclear?weapons.

However,?Excellencies,

The architecture of?nuclear?disarmament finds itself in a perilous deadlock.

We must transition from the margins of abstract debate to decisive action and rigorous verification on?nuclear?disarmament.

Colleagues,

Let us reject the fatalistic notion that?nuclear?disarmament is an unattainable dream.

Attaining a world devoid of?nuclear?weapons stands as the final stride towards the correct political decision – a choice for peace, dialogue, and the well-being of humanity.

Here are steps we can take – and must take – to advance towards the elimination of?nuclear?weapons:

First,?we must all acknowledge that the elimination of?nuclear?weapons is a moral imperative. The strategic goals or interests of any single nation or coalition cannot outweigh the collective aspirations of all people worldwide to lead lives of peace and dignity.

Second,?a global movement against?nuclear?weapons and proliferation must be galvanised. Engaging young campaigners in this cause can generate the momentum required for concrete and courageous political decisions.

Third,?we must lead by example. Our aim should be no less than complete denuclearization. It is a promise we owe to the present and future generations. We must deliver and we must act now.

Furthermore, we can, and we must, use?nuclear?technology for peaceful purposes by also leveraging the important initiatives being championed by entities such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The path to a world free from the threat of?nuclear?devastation is fraught with challenges, but it is a path we must unflinchingly tread.

The survival of nations, the preservation of humanity, and the protection of our beloved planet demand no less.

In the words of Beatrice Fihn, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and advocate for disarmament, “The only rational course of action is to cease living under the conditions where our mutual destruction is only one impulsive tantrum away.”

I thank you.