ASTANA — The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) Review Conference opened amid rising global tensions on April 27 at United Nations Headquarters, with Kazakhstan emphasizing practical steps to strengthen nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The Review Conference of the States Parties to the NPT began in a complex international environment marked by regional conflicts and a weakening of the arms control architecture. The NPT remains the cornerstone of global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts.
Speaking during the general debate, First Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Yerzhan Ashikbayev stressed the country’s consistent support for strengthening the NPT regime and advancing realistic measures to reduce nuclear risks. He highlighted Kazakhstan’s historical experience, including the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and its voluntary renunciation of nuclear weapons, as a significant contribution to international security and trust. He also noted the relevance of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s initiative to resume dialogue among nuclear-weapon states, the ministry’s press service reported.
In its capacity as Chair of the Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (Semipalatinsk Treaty), Kazakhstan underscored the role of such zones in strengthening the global disarmament regime. Marking the treaty’s 20th anniversary, states parties called for enhanced inter-zonal cooperation and the establishment of new nuclear-weapon-free zones.
International engagement and cooperation
On the sidelines of the conference, Ashikbayev met with UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, as well as heads of foreign delegations, to discuss key international security issues. Kazakhstan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Kairat Umarov, is serving as chair of the Second Main Committee, which covers non-proliferation, regional issues, and safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Kazakhstan also continued active engagement through consultations with the Secretary General of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL), Juan Carlos Ojeda Viglione and agreed on steps to strengthen cooperation among nuclear-weapon-free zones, building on the December 2024 Memorandum of Understanding.
In partnership with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, and the Nuclear Threat Initiative, Kazakhstan organized a side event highlighting nuclear-weapon-free zones as a key stabilizing element of the global regime. Participants emphasized the need to finalize ratification of the Negative Security Assurances Protocol to the Semipalatinsk Treaty and promote the creation of new zones worldwide.
The Kazakh delegation also held talks with representatives of the United States, China, and Germany, discussing current international security issues and approaches within Main Committee II. Kazakhstan reiterated its readiness to help reduce nuclear threats, including through President Tokayev’s initiative to resume dialogue among nuclear powers.
The NPT Review Conference will continue until May 22.
