UN disarmament chief urges states parties to protect the NPT, warns of a "hollowing out" risk

Izumi Nakamitsu, the U.N. Under‑Secretary‑General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said Friday that the Treaty on the Non‑Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains the cornerstone of global nonproliferation and disarmament and called on the treaty’s 191 states parties to approach the upcoming 11th Review Conference in New York with “good faith and flexibility.”

Nakamitsu told reporters the conference — which she said will assess progress across the treaty’s three pillars of disarmament, nonproliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy — must not be treated as a “tick‑box exercise.” “We need to prevent what I might call a hollowing out of the treaty,” she said, adding that the Secretariat will “support, to the best of our ability, for states parties’ successful conclusions.”

The High Representative framed the meeting as both a test and an opportunity amid what she described as a “very challenging” international security environment. She noted that the conference comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts that place strain on existing arms control frameworks.

Nakamitsu urged journalists to help states parties by reporting substance that helps the public understand what is at stake, saying transparent coverage contributes to successful multilateral outcomes. She also highlighted the role of Ambassador Do Hong Viet, the president‑designate of the conference, who she said has consulted widely and will lead negotiations with an emphasis on inclusivity.

The 11th Review Conference is scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Monday in the General Assembly Hall. Nakamitsu said the Secretariat’s role is to assist and facilitate negotiations so that all states feel they are participating in a meaningful, multilateral process.