Global Dialogue Renews Push for Nuclear Disarmament

A panel on nuclear disarmament held ahead of the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Photo: Katsuhiro Asagiri

The call for nuclear disarmament has become increasingly urgent, amid widening divisions between nuclear-armed states and non-nuclear ones. Against this backdrop, a panel discussion was held on the sidelines of the Preparatory Committee (PrepComm) for the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), co-organised by Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the UN.

Experts underscored the erosion of global norms surrounding nuclear weapons. William Potter, Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, highlighted a world in disarray, where the lines between allies and adversaries blur, deepening the disarmament divide.

Chie Sunada, SGI’s Director of Disarmament and Human Rights, stressed that the core threat is not the weapon itself, but the mindset that justifies its use. “It is that way of thinking that disregards the sanctity of life,” she said.

The panel spotlighted nuclear-weapon-free zones in Africa, Latin America, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia as effective diplomatic tools. These regions have banned nuclear arms, reinforcing their agency and restricting nuclear powers through binding treaties.

Advocates also pushed for a global ‘no first use’ (NFU) policy to reduce the risk of nuclear conflict. Currently, only China among the P5 nations maintains a strict NFU stance. India has a conditional policy, while the US, UK, Russia, France, Pakistan, and North Korea reserve the right to first use.

Adedeji Ebo, Deputy to the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, urged for "confidence-building dialogues" through transparency and reporting. He stressed the essential role of non-nuclear and umbrella states in advancing disarmament, and called for greater public engagement: “The nuclear issue is too important to be left to the states alone.”

Education efforts by NGOs like SGI were also praised. SGI’s initiatives include workshops and survivor testimonies to raise awareness, reaching over 10,000 people annually.

The session concluded with a consensus that both diplomacy and grassroots activism are essential. For disarmament to succeed, there must be a shared understanding of nuclear taboos and a global commitment to uphold them ahead of the 2026 NPT Review Conference.