S/PV.10122 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Pending the election of the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of subsidiary bodies and following the understanding reached among Council members in this regard, I have the honour to report to the Security Council on the work of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1540 (2004). I am pleased to report on the progress made since the most recent briefing on 6 August 2025 (see S/PV. 9973). Since that briefing, the Committee continued its activities in accordance with its mandate, supporting and monitoring national implementation and providing assistance to Member States, cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations, transparency and outreach. In 2025, the Committee participated in 26 outreach events on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) at the national, subregional, regional and international levels. In accordance with paragraph 26 of resolution 2663 (2022), the Committee convened its second open briefing for Member States and international, regional and subregional organizations in October 2025. In total, 42 Member States and nine international, regional and subregional organizations made statements during the briefing. The Committee continued to undertake initiatives to strengthen the capacity of national points of contact for resolution 1540 (2004), including through regional training programmes. The Committee co-hosted, in cooperation with Panama and the Office for Disarmament Affairs, a training course for points of contact in the Latin American and Caribbean region in Panama City in December 2025. The Committee approved its first voluntary technical reference guide, in accordance with paragraph 13 of resolution 2663 (2022), and made it available on the Committee’s website. This guide relates to paragraph 3 (d) of resolution 1540 (2004) regarding the obligations to establish, develop, review and maintain appropriate, effective national export controls. The Committee also developed a multi-year programme of outreach to States, as requested by the Security Council in paragraph 24 of the resolution, and made it available on the Committee’s website. In accordance with paragraph 17 of the resolution, the Committee continued to periodically review, as appropriate, the role, efficiency and effectiveness of the Committee’s mechanism for matching offers and requests for assistance, including by sending correspondence to 11 Member States that had made a matchmaking assistance request prior to January 2022. The aim of this correspondence was to ensure that the Committee is aware of any possible further assistance requirements related to fully matching these requests. In 2025, 23 Member States provided updates on their national points of contact. This year, to date, 6 additional States have provided updates, and 1 Member State nominated its point of contact for the first time, bringing the total number of Member States with 1540 points of contact to 157. In accordance with paragraph 3 of resolution 2663 (2022), the Committee will conduct a comprehensive review on the status of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) by December 2027. The Committee therefore started the discussion on the 2027 comprehensive review process. In this context, during December 2025, the Committee adopted a modalities paper that will serve as a guide for the 2027 comprehensive review process. The agreed modalities paper has been published on the Committee’s website. Preparations for the 2027 comprehensive review include, among others, the updating of the 1540 Committee matrices, which reflect national implementation information on measures adopted by each State Member of the United Nations in fulfilment of its obligations. While work on updating the 1540 Committee matrices has already commenced, the Committee sent correspondence to Member States encouraging them to submit reports and updated information on national implementation before the end of May 2026. In the context of the comprehensive review process, I would also like to draw the Council’s attention to the work of the 1540 Group of Experts. The Group is now operating with only six experts, with three vacancies remaining under consideration by the 1540 Committee. In order to ensure that the Committee support structure is fully resourced, especially in the view of the ongoing 2027 comprehensive review, the Committee underlines the importance of filling the vacancies in its Group of Experts. Looking forward, the Committee will continue its work under the adopted twentysecond programme of work of the Committee, covering the period from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2027. This includes a comprehensive list of the Committee’s planned activities to support full implementation of the requirements of resolution 1540 (2004) by all Member States. In closing, I wish to express my appreciation to the Committee members for their efforts in support of the Committee’s work and to the Group of Experts, officials in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs for their invaluable support to the Committee. I resume my functions as President of the Council. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

We appreciate the convening of this briefing on the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), which allows us to ensure that the resolution remains visible and relevant. This resolution is a key component of the multilateral non-proliferation system. We reiterate that the fulfilment of the Committee’s mandate is indispensable to preserving collective security and preventing non-State actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. In that regard, Panama remains firmly committed to the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), both in its national capacity and as Chair of the Committee in 2025. Moreover, we wish to express our sincere appreciation to the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Group of Experts for their committed work and administrative and technical support, which enabled us to achieve important milestones during our chairpersonship in 2025. At the same time, it is important to point out that, despite these achievements, we regret that the Committee was unable to start its activities in earnest until May 2025, making it challenging to progress at the rate that we had anticipated. It is also regrettable that in the third month of 2026, we are still awaiting the confirmation of subsidiary bodies. Despite the challenges due to the paralysis in terms of subsidiary bodies, Panama remains committed to the stability, continuity and resumption of the Committee’s activities. Allow me now to turn to the Committee’s current situation. The year 2026 is a strategic year. As you pointed out in your report, Madam President, this year should serve as a preparatory platform for the comprehensive review slated for 2027. That review will be decisive in drawing up the road map for the Committee until 2032 and in rigorously assessing the progress and gaps in the implementation of the resolution. In order to carry out this task satisfactorily, it is vital for the Committee to have a full Group of Experts that is fully operational, stable and equipped with adequate resources. That is the only way that we will be able to ensure that the information provided by Member States will be analysed in the requisite technical detail. In a global context marked by rapid technological development, the proliferation of dual-use capacities and the rise in the intangible transfer of knowledge, the international community cannot afford to take a break. The efficacy of resolution 1540 (2004) directly hinges on the Committee’s regular, predictable operation and sufficient technical capacity. In that regard, Panama wishes to underscore the importance of the Committee’s continued and stable operation with a programme of work that is carried out seamlessly and in constant dialogue with Member States. We welcome the fact that in February, we were able to adopt that programme of work by consensus, and we thank all Committee members for their cooperation. Panama has promoted an approach based on practical cooperation, especially in Latin America in the Caribbean, where we have observed significant progress but also persistent challenges that require continuity and technical support. This was demonstrated at the regional training course for 1540 points of contact held in December 2025, which attested to the region’s growing interest in and commitment to the implementation of the resolution. In conclusion, we reiterate Panama’s full willingness to continue contributing actively and responsibly to the work of the Committee. Resolution 1540 (2004) is a vital tool for strengthening international peace and security, and, as such, it deserves the institutional and political support needed to render it fully effective.

At the outset, I would like to express our gratitude for all the efforts undertaken by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and the Group of Experts, with a view to supporting the implementation of this resolution and boosting international cooperation in the nonproliferation of weapons of massive destruction. I also wish to express our appreciation to the United States presidency of the Security Council, which I thank for convening this important meeting, providing us with an ideal opportunity to exchange views on how we can implement this resolution, a key pillar in the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. This meeting comes at a very sensitive time as our region is seeing a dangerous escalation, in particular owing to unjust Iranian aggression that has been ongoing since 26 February of this year, targeting the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, including my country, Bahrain, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Through resolution 2817 (2026), adopted by the Security Council very recently, the international community has condemned these attacks, which target critical and civilian infrastructure, constituting a direct threat to regional and international peace and security. The Kingdom of Bahrain, while serving as a non-permanent member of the Security Council in a spirit of cooperation, international responsibility and effective contribution to the collective security regime, has had to defend its sovereignty, the security of its citizens and the residents on its territory, in the face of a treacherous and unjustified aggression. Despite that, the Kingdom of Bahrain remains committed to its firm approach, underpinned by wisdom and restraint, and we are committed to continuing our work hand in hand with the international community to bolster the principles of good neighbourliness and respect for the sovereignty of States, in such a manner that contributes to stability and prosperity in the region and beyond. The situation we are facing today reflects the aggressive policies pursued by the Islamic Republic of Iran. They constitute an open challenge to the efforts of the international community, which aim to achieve non-proliferation and reinforce collective security. In this regard, the use of missiles and drones underscores the danger of the proliferation of advanced dual-use military technologies. It also confirms the need to redouble efforts at the international level to ban the proliferation of these technologies or prevent their misuse. The Kingdom of Bahrain would like to affirm its full commitment to the implementation of the goals of resolution 1540 (2004), which seeks to prevent the acquisition, development or transfer of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems by non-State actors, particularly terrorist groups. We welcome the positive momentum that has been generated by the Committee and the Group of Experts leading up to the upcoming comprehensive review to be conducted before December 2027, which will serve as an important opportunity to reinforce the implementation of the resolution at the national level. We would also like to emphasize the importance of establishing a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction. This is a key element in helping us to achieve regional and international security. By way of conclusion, we would like to commit ourselves to continuing to work with the members of the Committee and all international partners to implement resolution 1540 (2004) and strengthen the global non-proliferation regime, and carry on our efforts with a view to achieving our common objective, namely a world free from weapons of mass destruction in all their forms.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo would like to thank you, Madam President, for the comprehensive briefing on the progress made by the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). The briefing is in line with the general view that the rise in extreme violence perpetrated by terrorists across the globe is proof that no one is safe from the threat of non-State actors using weapons of mass destruction. In this context, my delegation notes that the unanimous adoption on 30 November 2022 of resolution 2663 (2022), extending the mandate of the 1540 Committee for a period of 10 years, is a first step forward that should be welcomed, as it enables the Committee to conduct comprehensive reviews of the progress made in implementing resolution 1540 (2004), including by holding public consultations next year and again prior to the renewal of its mandate in 2032. My delegation particularly welcomes the progress made by the Committee, including in raising awareness of the support provided to Member States for the national implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), as well as in strengthening cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations. On 28 April 2004, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1540 (2004) under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, affirming that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, as well as their means of delivery, constituted a threat to international peace and security. This resolution required States, in particular, to refrain from providing support to non-State actors in the development, acquisition, manufacture, possession, transport, transfer or use of such weapons and their means of delivery. Today, 22 years on, in an increasingly complex international context and faced with multiple challenges, the Democratic Republic of the Congo wishes to reaffirm the relevance of resolution 1540 (2004) and of the Committee established pursuant thereto. This is the appropriate forum to highlight its crucial role as a fundamental pillar of the global non-proliferation architecture, established to monitor and support efforts to prevent and combat this scourge. Therefore, we note with interest the Committee’s efforts to strengthen the capacities of national points of contact, as well as the development of the voluntary technical reference guide on export controls. These initiatives are useful tools to assist States in fulfilling their obligations. My delegation would also like to emphasize the importance of international cooperation and technical assistance in enabling all States, particularly developing countries, to strengthen their legislative and institutional frameworks in the field of nonproliferation. With a view to the 2027 comprehensive review, the Democratic Republic of the Congo invites the Committee to continue assisting Member States in implementing the resolution and updating their national information, in order to ensure an inclusive and effective process. To maximize the effectiveness of this effort, the Committee is encouraged to send letters reminding Member States to submit their annual reports. Finally, the Democratic Republic of the Congo supports efforts to fill the vacancies in the Committee’s Group of Experts to ensure that it has the necessary resources to carry out its mandate. Before I conclude, allow me to refer back to my statement of 12 March 2026 to the Council (see S/PV.10120) regarding the delay in appointing the Chairs of the subsidiary bodies, and to reiterate once again the obligation incumbent upon the Council to set aside our differences in order to facilitate the smooth running of our essential activities relating to those bodies. Finally, the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains fully committed to continuing to work constructively with the Committee and all Member States to promote the universal and effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), which is vital and essential to our collective security.

I thank the presidency for reporting on the activities of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) over the past few months. I would also like to thank Panama for the work conducted as Chair of the Committee in 2025. Resolution 1540 (2004) is a key pillar of the international non-proliferation regime. Its effective implementation is therefore in the collective interest of the international community. At a time when the non-proliferation regime is being put to the test, it is essential that we reaffirm our commitment to the norms and instruments that underpin it. This applies to resolution 1540 (2004) and the Security Council resolutions on the Iranian and North Korean proliferation crises, as well as the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Review Conference of which will convene in a few weeks’ time here in New York. Among the threats to international peace and security, the potential acquisition of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery by non-State actors is one of the most serious. We have seen this in Syria, a country whose population has suffered chemical attacks perpetrated by Da’esh, as established by the reports by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). In this country, the effective elimination of the chemical weapons programme inherited from the Al-Assad era is therefore necessary and urgent in order to prevent any risk of proliferation and the resurgence of chemical terrorism. In this regard, we commend the Syrian authorities’ cooperation with the OPCW. These efforts must continue and, with the mobilization and support of the international community, allow progress towards the destruction of the remains of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. France underscores the constant and determined commitment of the members of the Group of Seven Global Partnership against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction, of which we hold the presidency this year, to the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). This mobilization is reflected in financial commitments to concrete projects in dozens of beneficiary countries. For example, France is providing several million euros in funding for a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime programme aimed at strengthening export controls, in coordination with the Australia Group, in countries of Central, South and South-East Asia. I would like to recall here the decisive role of export control mechanisms in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and in States’ compliance with their obligations under this resolution. France fully supports the work carried out by the 1540 (2004) Committee to support the implementation of the resolution. We welcome the fact that the Committee was able to agree on an annual programme of work, which provides a clear road map for its activities in the coming months. It is important to continue efforts to raise States’ awareness of their obligations pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) and to assist them in fulfilling these obligations, including through assistance activities. The development of the multi-year outreach plan is a positive step in this regard. The five-year comprehensive review of the resolution’s implementation, to be conducted by the end of 2027, will also be of great value in assessing progress towards achieving the resolution’s objectives. France stands ready to contribute actively to this effort. To carry out this task successfully, it is essential for the 1540 (2004) Committee to have the necessary means to function effectively. In particular, it is important that the Chair of the Committee, and of all other subsidiary bodies of the Council, be appointed as soon as possible. I also wish to underscore, as the presidency just did in its briefing, that all vacancies within the Committee’s Group of Experts must be filled without delay. The effectiveness of the Group of Experts’ role in support of the Committee depends on this.

I thank you, Madam President, for your briefing. Over the past year, the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) has done a great deal of productive work in promoting the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). China commends Ambassador Alfaro de Alba and his team for their efforts and thanks the Group of Experts and the Secretariat for their contributions. For more than two decades, resolution 1540 (2004) has played an irreplaceable role in consolidating international consensus on non-proliferation, promoting international cooperation in this field and preventing non-State actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. The Committee will conduct a new comprehensive review in 2027. At the same time, the international security landscape is undergoing profound changes. With regional conflicts and turbulence occurring frequently, the threat of terrorism remains grave, and the risks and challenges of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery persist. President Xi Jinping has put forward the Global Security Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative. These Initiatives advocate a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and practice the vision of global governance featuring extensive consultation and joint contribution for shared benefit, providing important guidance for advancing governance in the field of non-proliferation. In this context, I would like to make the following points regarding the work of the Committee. First, non-proliferation is a global challenge. Addressing proliferation issues requires upholding true multilateralism, fostering a universally secure international and regional environment, accommodating the legitimate security concerns of all countries and achieving common security so as to eliminate the root causes of proliferation. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention, together with resolution 1540 (2004), constitute the international legal architecture for non-proliferation. All parties should ensure their effective compliance with and implementation of these legal instruments in order to safeguard the authority and effectiveness of this regime. Secondly, Member States bear the primary responsibility for implementing resolution 1540 (2004). All countries should continue to strengthen their national capacity-building efforts and address shortcomings in areas such as legislation, institutional arrangements and professional expertise related to non-proliferation. On the basis of respecting the wishes of Member States, the Committee should fully take into account the national conditions and practical needs of the relevant countries, facilitate assistance matching and support targeted international cooperation. In recent years, Member States, including China and Panama, have organized multiple regional training courses under the framework of the Committee, providing useful platforms for experience-sharing and enhanced cooperation. Thirdly, emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, three-dimensional printing, gene editing and synthetic biology, are bringing unprecedented opportunities for the development of human society, while also posing prominent security risks and challenges. All countries should strengthen the governance and regulation of emerging technologies to prevent non-State actors from misusing them for proliferation activities. At the same time, the United Nations should play its role as the main channel to promote the development of a global governance framework, and of norms and standards in emerging fields based on broad consensus. Fourthly, achieving non-proliferation objectives should not come at the expense of scientific and technological progress. It is important to balance development and security, effectively safeguard the legitimate rights of developing countries to the peaceful uses of science and technology and oppose the abuse of export controls and unilateral sanctions under the pretext of national security or non-proliferation. The General Assembly has, for consecutive years, adopted the resolution entitled “Promoting international cooperation on peaceful uses in the context of international security”, submitted by China and countries with similar positions. China calls on more Member States to support this resolution, welcomes continued inclusive dialogue among all parties and looks forward to promoting its effective implementation so as to build a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory non-proliferation order. China stands ready to continue working with all parties and to participate constructively in the work of the Committee in order to promote the effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), strengthen global non-proliferation governance and safeguard international and regional peace and security.

I thank you very much, Madam President, for your briefing on the report. Colombia appreciates the efforts of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) to continue promoting the full and effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). My delegation also welcomes the Committee having a substantive programme of work for the period 2026–2027, which reflects a level of ambition commensurate with the breadth of its mandate, in particular in the areas of assistance, outreach and preparation for the 2027 comprehensive review. We welcome the fact that its implementation continues to be guided by the principles of transparency, equitable treatment, cooperation and consistency, in support of effective and universal implementation of the resolution. At the same time, my delegation recognizes that its implementation faces practical limitations, including the absence of a Chair of the Committee and persistent vacancies in the Group of Experts. For my country, ensuring operational continuity and the full functioning of the Committee is essential. We trust that these issues can be resolved as soon as possible. At present, we are witnessing the rapid development of new technologies, including those with dual-use applications. At the same time, we are confronted with the ability of non-State actors to adapt their methods, exploit regulatory gaps and misuse legitimate supply chains for illicit purposes. In such a context, the Committee’s assistance mechanisms are of utmost importance. In many States, in particular in developing countries, the effective implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) depends not only on timely access to technical assistance for capacity-building but also on international cooperation that enables access to specialized equipment and technical support to strengthen national regulatory frameworks, export controls and the security of sensitive materials. We take note of the commencement of preparations for the 2027 comprehensive review, which will provide an opportunity to assess progress in the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and identify possible gaps. In this context, it is particularly important to ensure that the Group of Experts has the human resources necessary to fully support the work of the Committee. Moreover, I would like to highlight the importance of situating the Committee’s efforts within the broader framework of the international disarmament and nonproliferation regime. Resolution 1540 (2004) constitutes a complementary pillar to other instruments, such as the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Biological Weapons Convention and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which will soon enter a new review process. For my delegation, it is essential to strengthen synergies between the Committee and those instruments in order to ensure a coherent and effective approach to contemporary proliferation challenges. In conclusion, allow me to underscore Colombia’s commitment to the full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), as well as to strengthening multilateralism and international cooperation to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.

At the outset, my delegation thanks the presidency, acting in the absence of a Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), for convening today’s meeting and for the update on the Committee’s work. We note the progress achieved in the Committee’s work since the previous year, as reflected in the adoption of the twenty-second programme of work covering the period through January 2027. As we continue to reflect on the critical role of resolution 1540 (2004), it remains a pivotal component of the global non-proliferation framework. We acknowledge the Committee’s dedicated work in promoting implementation and welcome the approval of the first voluntary technical reference guide concerning national export controls, which provides essential clarity for meeting obligations under paragraph 3 of the resolution. Somalia recognizes that the primary responsibility for non-proliferation rests with national governments. However, we are mindful of the obstacles developing countries face, such as limited resources and technical know-how. In this regard, we believe that developing the capacity of all Member States must be a shared priority. We welcome the Committee’s ongoing efforts to match offers of assistance with the specific requirements of Member States to ensure that no nation is left behind. We also note the Committee’s robust outreach efforts and its focus on fostering capacity-building, as evidenced by the event co-hosted with Panama in December 2025 for points of contact in Latin America and the Caribbean. In conclusion, Somalia reaffirms its commitment to the non-proliferation regime. Somalia will continue to work alongside regional and international partners to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and foster a safer, more secure world for all.

I thank you, Madam President, for briefing the Council in your capacity as Acting Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). Greece remains fully committed to supporting the effective and universal implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), which aims to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery to non-State actors, including for terrorist purposes. I will make three remarks. First, we commend the significant progress achieved in 2025 under the chairmanship of the Permanent Representative of Panama, Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba, and his team. Secondly, in its capacity as Vice-Chair, Greece actively participated in the Committee’s activities, including through co-chairing the second annual open briefing in October 2025, as well as through the organization and support of the Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) of a workshop on maritime border security enforcement in November 2025. Thirdly, important challenges for the Committee lie ahead. We call for the urgent appointment of Chairs of the Security Council’s subsidiary organs, including the Chair of the 1540 Committee. In particular, in the coming period, the Committee will be called to continue the preparation of the 2027 comprehensive review of the status of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Moreover, it is important for the Committee to ensure that the Group of Experts works efficiently and on a continuous basis, including through the filling of vacancies within the Group without further delay. Regrettably, this has become a long-overdue issue. Finally, my country believes that the Committee should further enhance its cooperation with international, regional and subregional organizations and other United Nations bodies in the context of the resolution, particularly with the European Union. In conclusion, Greece commends the Committee’s support structure, including the Group of Experts, UNODA and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, for their invaluable support to the Committee, and thanks Panama for its leadership. We stand ready to continue supporting this important work.

We welcome the briefing delivered by the presidency on the recent activities of the Committee since the last briefing, held in August (S/PV.9973). The non-proliferation architecture has long been a cornerstone of international peace and security. The role of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) has been key in this regard, ensuring that the most dangerous weapons do not end up in the hands of terrorists and other malign actors. It also provides relevant outreach and technical assistance to Member States and other partners. The risks of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction have become increasingly diffuse, as dual-use technologies, synthetic biology and cybersabotage, among others, have lowered the threshold for access and weaponization. Unfortunately, in recent years we have also faced persistent and systematic efforts to weaken and undermine international non-proliferation norms by belligerent State actors. A prime example of this is the Iranian regime’s opaque pursuit of uranium enrichment to such a degree that it defies any possible peaceful purpose, along with its stock of ballistic missiles and cooperation with exactly the same sort of terrorist groups that this resolution is meant to be directed against. The illegal nuclear programme of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is another example, and so are the continued irresponsible, dangerous and reckless nuclear rhetoric and threats as part of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, combined with an unacceptable use of chemical weapons. In an environment as tense and as complex as this, the constructive work of the Committee remains crucial. Its non-proliferation efforts resonate on a global scale, and we are therefore very pleased to welcome the recent adoption of the programme of work for this year. However, this further illustrates the urgent need for all subsidiary bodies of the Council to resume their full operation in order to effectively implement their tasks. We also commend the pertinent role played by the Group of Experts of the Committee and strongly urge the Committee to appoint qualified experts to the outstanding vacancies. A fully staffed and capable Group is of the utmost importance, as we begin work towards a comprehensive review of the status of implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). We remind members that any efforts to delay, disrupt or otherwise hinder the work of the Committee, especially for political reasons, are worrisome and undermine trust in the work of the Council, and we call on all parties to contribute constructively to the work of the Committee. All the subsidiary bodies of the Council play their unique and much-needed role in the global security architecture, and considering the subject matter and scope of the work undertaken by the 1540 Committee, we must support its work as if it were a matter of life or death, because it quite literally is.

Let me thank the representative of the United States for the briefing as Acting Chair of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), while work continues on the subsidiary body package. We hope a solution can be found as soon as possible. We also express our appreciation to Panama for its leadership of the Committee in 2025. Resolution 1540 (2004) remains a cornerstone of the international nonproliferation architecture. Denmark reaffirms our strong commitment to its full and effective implementation and to preventing non-State actors, including terrorist groups, from acquiring nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery. The global non-proliferation landscape remains under significant pressure. Ongoing conflicts and persistent proliferation concerns underline the continued relevance of resolution 1540 (2004). Developments related to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes, Iran’s deeply concerning nuclear aspirations and the serious nuclear safety risks associated with Russia’s illegal aggression against Ukraine remind us why strong national controls and international cooperation remain essential. In this regard, we urge all Member States to continue strengthening regulatory controls and to adopt and effectively enforce the necessary national legislation and measures required under resolution 1540 (2004). We also call upon the remaining Member States that have not yet done so to submit their first national reports on implementation. These reports are essential for assessing progress, identifying gaps and facilitating assistance. The Committee plays a vital role in supporting Member States in these efforts. To this end, cooperation and coordination with relevant international organizations and export control regimes remain essential. This includes facilitating the participation of the Group of Experts in relevant events that can further strengthen partnerships and help to promote awareness of resolution 1540 (2004). Looking ahead, the comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), scheduled to be completed by December 2027, will be a milestone for the Committee. Preparations for this review should therefore remain a top priority. We commend the Group of Experts for their dedication and highly professional work in support of the Committee. We encourage them to continue playing a proactive role in assisting Member States. It is therefore important that the Group of Experts be fully staffed. We hope that the remaining vacant positions will be filled as soon as possible, particularly in view of the upcoming comprehensive review. Finally, we would like to express our appreciation for the work carried out by the Office for Disarmament Affairs and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs in supporting the Committee.

I thank you, Madam President, for presenting today’s report. Let me begin by thanking Panama for its stewardship of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) in 2025, including through the creation of the first voluntary technical reference guide on national export controls. I will make four points. First, resolution 1540 (2004) remains as important to international security today as when it was negotiated more than 20 years ago. It remains the only universal, legally binding instrument that obliges all States to prevent non-State actors, including terrorist groups and criminal networks, from acquiring nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery. The rapid diffusion of new and advanced technologies across the globe has made this threat more acute, not less. Full implementation of the resolution therefore remains a long-term task, and the United Kingdom calls on all States to implement their obligations under this resolution in full. Secondly, the United Kingdom welcomes the constructive consensus that made it possible to agree this year’s programme of work, which, as we have regrettably seen in recent years, cannot be taken for granted. We encourage this consensus to further strengthen core national measures essential for the resolution’s implementation, such as export and trans-shipment controls, enforcement provisions, control lists for sensitive dual-use items and sustained assistance to States. Thirdly, the United Kingdom agrees with the 1540 Committee’s report on the importance of an active and fully staffed Group of Experts. Outreach is critical for the Group of Experts to execute its functions, including by providing insight and technical support to Member States in their implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). We remain concerned that unwarranted objections have continued to prevent the Group of Experts from attending outreach events focused on thematic and regional implementation issues. Any action that might hinder the Committee’s vital work should be reversed immediately. Fourthly, the United Kingdom remains committed to assisting States in improving their national implementation. We will continue to offer our legal and regulatory expertise on matters related to resolution 1540 (2004), and we will continue to contribute to wider security efforts that indirectly bolster the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), such as the United Kingdom’s ongoing financial and programmatic support for the Office for Disarmament Affairs work on the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, including outreach to promote universalization. As we look ahead to the comprehensive review in 2027, we encourage all Council members to participate fully in preparations. With threats evolving rapidly, the review is our opportunity to develop clear recommendations to strengthen the resolution and ensure support is directed to the States that need it most. In that regard, the United Kingdom reaffirms the importance of ensuring that all Security Council subsidiary bodies, including the 1540 Committee, are swiftly allocated Chairs.

I thank you, Madam President, for the presentation of the report of the Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) in the absence of a Committee Chair. It again serves to underscore the urgency of appointing the Chairs of subsidiary bodies without further delay. Important substantive work of the Committee is suffering because of the inordinate delay. We take note of the report and are pleased at the progress made within the Committee in the past few months. In this respect, we particularly acknowledge the work of Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba, the Permanent Representative of Panama, in advancing the Committee’s substantive work last year. In the current complex global environment, which is characterized by several conflicts, simmering tensions and security challenges, the promotion of nonproliferation efforts is more crucial than ever. Resolution 1540 (2004) plays a pivotal role in the global framework to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) to non-State actors. The potential for non-State actors to acquire and use WMD threatens the national security of Member States and gravely undermines international peace and security. The changing nature of non-State actors and terrorist activities underscores the importance of strengthening voluntary international cooperation and collaborative efforts to achieve the common goal of effectively implementing resolution 1540 (2004). Furthermore, as science, technology and global trade continue to evolve, Member States must remain abreast of these developments to effectively implement the resolution. The 1540 Committee can play an important role in promoting international understanding of these threats and in our collective response. Multilateral export control regimes can play a crucial role in strengthening global non-proliferation efforts. In order to maintain credibility, these regimes must avoid becoming exclusive syndicates prioritizing political and commercial interests. Selective exceptions diminish the credibility of the global non-proliferation framework and risk further destabilizing regional and global peace and security. Effective non-proliferation requires a non-discriminatory, objective and criteria-based approach. Such an approach is critical to maintain strategic stability at the regional and global levels and to avoid an arms race. Moreover, non-proliferation efforts, which are important in their own right, must not impede international cooperation in the peaceful uses of dual-use technologies, which is vital for the economic development of all Member States, in particular the global South. All countries must be able to exercise their inalienable right to utilize nuclear energy and technologies for peaceful purposes, consistent with their respective nonproliferation and international legal obligations. Further work in this respect, including within the 1540 Committee, would be important to ensure equitable and unimpeded access to technologies while promoting the goals of global non-proliferation. Nonproliferation and peaceful technological development reinforce, rather than undermine, one another when approached through cooperative mechanisms on a non-discriminatory basis. Pakistan will continue its active contribution to the work of the 1540 Committee, including in the ongoing comprehensive review, which is a vital exercise in the implementation of the resolution. We also appreciate the dedication of the Group of Experts to advancing the Committee’s work. We reiterate the view that the members of the Group should be selected based on the criteria of merit, expertise and geographical rotation, and we hope that the pending vacancies will be filled while keeping in view the above considerations. Pakistan will continue to promote and support global nonproliferation and the objectives of resolution 1540 (2004).

We thank you, Madam President, for your briefing about the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), covering the period from August 2025 to today. Resolution 1540 (2004) remains relevant as a universal international instrument that seeks to prevent weapons of mass destruction, related materials and their means of delivery from falling into the hands of non-State actors. The importance of this resolution in promoting non-politicized cooperation among States to help to achieve the aforementioned goal cannot be overstated. The Russian Federation remains steadfastly committed to the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004). Russia was one of the countries that initiated the adoption thereof and directly participated in preparing the text. Against this backdrop, we attach great importance to the work of the 1540 Committee and to the Security Council’s joint efforts to ensure the Committee’s effective functioning. From this vantage point, we welcome the consensus-based agreement on the Committee’s programme of work for the period up to January 2027. We thank our United Kingdom colleagues for leading the informal work on its preparation. We are expecting that, despite the unresolved issue of seat allocation in the Security Council’s subsidiary bodies, the Committee will be able to carry out all the tasks assigned to it in a timely manner. Strict compliance by the 1540 Committee with its clearly defined mandate has been and remains imperative. The key components of that mandate are monitoring the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) and coordinating international efforts to provide technical assistance to States requesting it. In their work in this area, Committee members must be guided exclusively by the goals of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. It is unacceptable to assign the Committee functions that are not within its remit, including monitoring and oversight functions. It is equally unacceptable to inject into its work topics that stray beyond the scope of resolution 1540 (2004), such as counter-terrorism, sanctions-related issues and the development of new technologies. We should not forget that the Committee’s Group of Experts answers solely to that body and cannot act autonomously. We are grateful to the members of the Group for the professional assistance provided to the Committee and for effectively implementing the Committee’s instructions, especially given that the Group is not fully staffed. The Russian Federation looks forward to the filling of the remaining vacancies in the Group of Experts as soon as possible. This is of vital importance, given the workload that will fall on the experts as they prepare for the comprehensive review of the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), which is scheduled for 2027. Given that the United States currently holds the presidency of the Security Council, we hope that it will undertake efforts to resolve this key and urgent issue. The Russian Federation is committed to continuing constructive engagement with all Security Council members and other States to ensure that the 1540 Committee successfully carries out its work. We believe that this approach will pave the way for the Committee’s effective fulfilment of its mandate and for reaching consensus on the most complex issues.

Liberia thanks the United States for convening this briefing and for presenting the update on the work of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004). We also thank Panama for its leadership. A non-nuclear-weapon-State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Liberia reaffirms its commitment to strengthening the global nonproliferation regime and takes note of the twenty-second programme of work of the Committee, covering the period through 31 January 2027. We pledge our support towards the effective implementation of the activities underlined therein. We note with encouragement the progress made by Member States in fulfilling their reporting requirement under resolution 1540 (2004). We commend these States for demonstrating transparency and commitment to strengthening the global nonproliferation regime. In that regard, we are pleased also to report that Liberia is strengthening its safety frameworks. We have agreed a 2026–2030 country programme framework with the International Atomic Energy Agency, prioritizing radiation safety, health and border point capacities. Therefore, Liberia welcomes assistance on resolution 1540 (2004) — matchmaking, for one; detection upgrades at Roberts International Airport and the Freeport of Monrovia; and a national end-of-life pathway for disused medical sources. In conclusion, allow me to emphasize what we already know, which is that the consequences of the use of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, anywhere would be catastrophic everywhere. Likewise, the use of chemical or biological agents could cause widespread suffering and destabilize societies across the globe. Therefore, preventing such outcomes must remain a priority of the Council. This is why we join others to call for the full composition of this and all other subsidiary bodies of the Council.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the United States of America. The United States is pleased to note positive developments within the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) over the last year. In 2025, the Committee supported implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) through 25 events across five continents. The Committee’s Group of Experts participated in regional and national workshops focused on export controls, biosecurity, nuclear security and Chemical Weapons Convention implementation, reaching countries in Africa, Asia- Pacific, Latin America and Europe. We urge all Committee members to support such outreach as the Council agreed to in resolution 2663 (2022). Key accomplishments also included supporting the development of national action plans in Costa Rica, Nigeria and Panama, facilitating peer-to-peer assistance between Botswana and South Africa and conducting the Committee’s annual open briefing for Member States and international organizations here, in October. To prevent weapons of mass destruction proliferation and strengthen export controls worldwide, the Committee also collaborated extensively with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Organization of American States, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The Committee’s efforts are instrumental in ensuring that resolution 1540 (2004) remains the foundation of global efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery to non-State actors, including terrorist groups. This comes at a pivotal moment for all of us as terrorist groups such as the Houthis attempt to acquire these weapons and their delivery systems through illicit trade practices that threaten all of our security and global commerce. In closing, we urge all Member States to undertake comprehensive steps towards national implementation of resolution 1540 (2004), including the adoption of effective legislation, regulatory controls and enforcement mechanisms. The United States stands ready to assist countries in these efforts and we believe only through coordinated global actions can we effectively prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Together we can ensure that resolution 1540 (2004) is fully implemented, safeguarding global security and preventing the catastrophic consequences of weapons of mass destruction proliferation. I now resume my functions as President of the Council.