ASTANA—The Third Conference of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), chaired by Kazakhstan, concluded on March 7 at UN headquarters. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs press service reported that discussions under Kazakhstan’s presidency fostered constructive dialogue and led to consensus on key documents to strengthen the treaty’s implementation.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The conference reaffirmed the global commitment to nuclear disarmament, with delegates adopting a Political Declaration condemning nuclear threats and emphasizing the severe humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons.
First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Akan Rakhmetullin, serving as the conference president, emphasized the immediate need for nuclear disarmament, citing the devastation caused in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as nuclear testing at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. According to him, “the elimination of nuclear weapons is not a matter of the distant future but a practical and urgent task.”
One of the key outcomes of the conference was the approval of a proposal by Kazakhstan and Kiribati to establish an International Trust Fund. The initiative aims to assist victims of nuclear weapons use and testing while supporting environmental rehabilitation of contaminated areas. Delegates agreed to finalize the fund’s framework by mid-2026, with plans to launch it at the 2026 TPNW Review Conference.
Participants also agreed on measures to expand the number of TPNW states parties and enhance cooperation with parliaments, scientific institutions, and civil society to advance disarmament efforts.
Delegates commended Kazakhstan’s leadership and long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament. They highlighted the country’s consistent foreign policy under President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, recognizing it as a reliable partner in promoting global security and non-proliferation.
The conference also featured thematic events and exhibitions on nuclear disarmament. Kazakhstan’s side event, “Semipalatinsk Test Site: The Cost of Nuclear Weapons – A Warning to the World,” included contributions from the National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan, Semei Medical University, and Goodwill Ambassador Karipbek Kuyukov. The “Echoes of the Polygon” exhibition and the documentary film “I Want to Live On” provided personal accounts from witnesses and survivors of nuclear testing.
Kazakhstan’s presidency at the conference reaffirmed its leading role in the global anti-nuclear movement. In the year marking the UN’s 80th anniversary, the country’s effective leadership further solidified its reputation as a middle power with an independent and balanced foreign policy.
Adopted in 2017 and entering into force in 2021, the TPNW is the first legally binding international mechanism aimed at the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. Having voluntarily renounced the world’s fourth-largest nuclear arsenal and closed the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site, Kazakhstan remains one of the global leaders in the anti-nuclear movement.
