Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, observed on 26 September:
On this International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, we face a stark reality: the threat of nuclear catastrophe is immediate and growing.
The lesson of history is clear. Nuclear weapons provide no lasting security. Their use would inflict consequences that no nation and no people should ever endure. Yet, rising tensions, deepening mistrust, expanding military competition and the modernization of nuclear arsenals cast a dangerous shadow over our common future.
The failure of recent multilateral efforts to advance nuclear disarmament and reinforce non-proliferation commitments has demonstrated the difficulty of consensus in a divided world. But, we cannot allow setbacks to weaken our resolve.
It’s time to choose dialogue over division, diplomacy over confrontation and disarmament over destruction. States that possess nuclear weapons must honour their disarmament obligations and commit to the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Let us act with urgency and courage and build a safer, more peaceful world for present and future generations.