United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning about the escalating global nuclear threat, describing it as the most perilous in decades. Addressing the UN Security Council in 2024, Guterres emphasized that nuclear weapons remain a clear and present danger to global peace and security, nearly 80 years after the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
He highlighted the alarming increase in the power, range, and stealth of nuclear weapons, cautioning that an accidental launch could occur due to a single mistake, miscalculation, or rash act. Guterres called for immediate disarmament, urging nuclear-armed states to lead the way through dialogue, accountability, and transparency. He also emphasized the need for a joint first-use agreement, where nuclear-armed states commit never to use nuclear weapons first.
The Secretary-General’s remarks coincide with heightened global tensions and a resurgence of nuclear saber-rattling. He pointed out that, despite widespread calls for peace from various sectors of society, nuclear-armed states have been absent from meaningful dialogue. Guterres stressed that disarmament is the only path to eliminate the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons.
In his message marking the 79th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, Guterres reiterated that the use of nuclear weapons is unacceptable and that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. He called for renewed commitment to multilateralism, sustainable development, and peace, with disarmament and a nuclear weapons-free world at the forefront of these efforts.
The UN Secretary-General’s calls for disarmament are part of a broader agenda to strengthen the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, including through treaties and by ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty without delay. He emphasized the importance of using dialogue, diplomacy, and negotiation to ease tensions and end the nuclear threat.
As the world faces the highest nuclear risk in generations, Guterres’s calls for disarmament serve as a critical reminder of the need for collective action to ensure a safer and more secure future for all.
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