Washington, D.C., June 7, 2024 — In a compelling video message delivered today to the annual conference of the Arms Control Association, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent measures to address the escalating nuclear threat facing humanity. The message emphasized the need for nuclear disarmament and underscored the growing risks posed by new technologies and geopolitical tensions.
Humanity on a Knife’s Edge — Highlighting the conference theme, “Move Back from the Nuclear Brink,” Guterres stressed that the risk of a nuclear weapon being used is at its highest since the Cold War. “States are engaged in a qualitative arms race,” he warned, noting that advancements in technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) are exacerbating these dangers. The Secretary-General decried the resurgence of nuclear blackmail and the weakening of international regimes designed to prevent the use, testing, and proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Call for Disarmament and Leadership
“We need disarmament now,” Guterres declared, reinforcing the central message of his 2018 Disarmament Agenda. He called on all countries to step up, but placed particular emphasis on the responsibilities of nuclear-weapon States. These nations, he urged, must resume dialogue, commit to preventing the use of nuclear weapons, and agree that no country will be the first to launch one. Additionally, they should reaffirm moratoria on nuclear testing and accelerate the implementation of disarmament commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The Secretary-General linked disarmament to broader efforts to reform the global peace and security architecture, as outlined in the New Agenda for Peace. He highlighted the importance of collaboration among all NPT parties to ensure consensus at the upcoming Review Conference in 2026. Guterres also urged the United States and the Russian Federation to resume negotiations, fully implement the New START Treaty, and agree on a successor to this critical arms control agreement.
Human Control Over Nuclear Decisions
Amid growing concerns about the role of AI in nuclear command and control, Guterres called for a global consensus that decisions on nuclear use must be made by humans, not machines or algorithms. “Nuclear sabre-rattling must stop,” he asserted, underscoring the need for a human-centred approach to nuclear decision-making.
The Secretary-General expressed the United Nations’ steadfast support for groups like the Arms Control Association, which has been instrumental in advocating for nuclear disarmament for over five decades. “Let’s continue working to achieve the secure and peaceful world every country wants,” he concluded.
