Vietnam called on countries to ensure the strict and balanced implementation of all three pillars of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) during the opening day of the 11th Review Conference of the treaty in New York on April 27, underscoring the need to strengthen collective commitment to disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy amid growing global security challenges.
Addressing the session, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Thi Thu Hang, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the event, reaffirmed Vietnam’s strong support for the NPT as a cornerstone of the international security architecture, and called for the full and balanced implementation of its three pillars: nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
She underlined the special responsibility of nuclear-weapon states to fulfil disarmament commitments, refrain from threats or use of force, and promote confidence-building, dialogue, and international cooperation on strategic issues. Vietnam also urged stronger support for complementary international instruments, including the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), and broader accession to and ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
Vietnam also stressed the importance of safeguarding the rights and interests of developing countries in the peaceful use of nuclear energy to advance development, through stronger international cooperation, broader access to technology and expertise, and ensuring sustainable financing.
Hang shared Vietnam’s own efforts to strengthen its national legal and policy framework, including the adoption of a strategy for developing and applying nuclear energy for peaceful purposes through 2035, with a vision to 2050. She said Vietnam is promoting scientific research and technological applications in nuclear energy, particularly in healthcare, agriculture, environmental protection and energy security.
Against a backdrop of mounting global uncertainty, she called on the international community to reaffirm support for the NPT through stronger collective efforts and by adopting a balanced and substantive outcome document to guide the treaty’s next review cycle.
The 11th NPT Review Conference, chaired by Vietnam, runs from April 27 to May 22 and includes intensive thematic discussions among member states of the treaty.
Representatives from many countries expressed concern that the global security and political environment is facing its most serious and complex challenges in decades, particularly in conflict hotspots, and rising nuclear risks. They underscored the urgency of reaffirming strong commitment to the objectives of the NPT to prevent a nuclear catastrophe./.
