A/RES/77/76 GA

United Nations A/RES/77/76 General Assembly Distr.: General 15 December 2022 22-28176 (E) 201222 *2228176* Seventy-seventh session Agenda item 99 (hh) General and complete disarmament: joint courses of action and future-oriented dialogue towards a world without nuclear weapons Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 7 December 2022 [on the report of the First Committee (A/77/385, para. 110)] 77/76. Steps to building a common roadmap towards a world without nuclear weapons The General Assembly, Reaffirming that achieving a world without nuclear weapons is a common goal for the international community, Recalling that it has been 77 years since the use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Reaffirming the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons1 (NPT) as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime, the foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament and an important element in facilitating the benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and also reaffirming its determination to fully and steadily implement the Treaty in all its aspects, including article VI of the Treaty, and to further enhance the universality of the Treaty, Noting that the NPT States Parties reaffirm the validity of all existing commitments undertaken, including those contained in the decisions and resolution of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,2 the outcome document of the 2000 Review Conference,3 especially the unequivocal undertaking by the nuclear-weapon States to __________________ 1 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 729, No. 10485. 2 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, Part I (NPT/CONF.1995/32 (Part I) and NPT/CONF.1995/32 (Part I)/Corr.2). 3 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, vols. I–III (NPT/CONF.2000/28 (Parts I and II), NPT/CONF.2000/28 (Part III) and NPT/CONF.2000/28 (Part IV)). A/RES/77/76 Steps to building a common roadmap towards a world without nuclear weapons 22-28176 2/5 accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament, and the conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions adopted by the 2010 Review Conference,4 and also reaffirm that the full and effective implementation by all States parties of the commitments outlined above is essential to the integrity and credibility of the Treaty, Expressing regret over the decision of one state to block a consensus outcome at the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, held from 1 to 26 August 2022, while taking positive note of the decision on the next review cycle adopted by consensus including the establishment of the working group on further strengthening the review process, and stressing the importance of moving forward, building upon the discussions held at the recent NPT Review Conference and the draft final document (NPT/CONF.2020/WP.77), which is a useful basis for advancing nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy in a pragmatic manner in the review cycle leading to the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty, Expressing deep concern at the deteriorated international security environment, including the rapidly deteriorating situation in Ukraine, and that the threat of nuclear weapons use today is higher than at any time since the heights of the Cold War, and noting the concern of non-nuclear weapon States at the rapid quantitative expansion and qualitative improvement of nuclear forces by some nuclear-weapons States, including the development of advanced nuclear weapons and new types of means of their delivery, and the continued role of nuclear weapons in security policies, as well as at the uneven level of transparency surrounding these activities, Welcoming the extension of the Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START Treaty) and calling upon them to pursue negotiations in good faith on a successor framework to New START before its expiration in 2026, and reaffirming the special responsibility of the nuclear-weapons States to initiate and actively engage in arms control dialogues in good faith on effective measures to prevent nuclear arms racing and help to prepare the way for the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons, Affirming the need for the nuclear-weapon States to pursue concrete actions for the implementation of the commitments contained in the Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear Weapons States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races of 3 January 2022, and noting the commitments of the nuclear-weapon States to continuing structured efforts to exchange views on nuclear concepts, doctrines, policies and risk reduction, Reaffirming the importance of full adherence by all nuclear-weapon States to all existing obligations and commitments related to security assurances given to non-nuclear-weapon States parties to the Treaty either unilaterally or multilaterally, including the commitments under the Memorandum on Security Assurances in Connection with Ukraine’s Accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1994, Recognizing the importance of the decisions and the resolution on the Middle East of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the NPT5 and the __________________ 4 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, vols. I–III (NPT/CONF.2010/50 (Vol. I), NPT/CONF.2010/50 (Vol. II) and NPT/CONF.2010/50 (Vol. III)). 5 See 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, Part I (NPT/CONF.1995/32 (Part I) and NPT/CONF.1995/32 (Part I)/Corr.2), annex. Steps to building a common roadmap towards a world without nuclear weapons A/RES/77/76 3/5 22-28176 Final Documents of the 2000 and 2010 Review Conferences of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and reaffirming its support for the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at by the States of the region and in accordance with the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, Emphasizing the importance for all States of taking further practical steps and effective measures towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, in a way that promotes international stability, peace and security, and based on the principle of undiminished and increased security for all, Recognizing that nuclear risk will persist as long as nuclear weapons exist, reaffirming that the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only way to eliminate all risks associated with these weapons, and reaffirming also that risk reduction is neither a substitute nor a prerequisite for nuclear disarmament and that efforts in this area should contribute to forward movement in and complement the implementation of Article VI obligations and related nuclear disarmament commitments, Reiterating deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons and reaffirming that this awareness ought to continue to underpin our approaches and efforts towards nuclear disarmament, and welcoming the visits of leaders, youth and others to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in this regard, Acknowledging that the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted on 7 July 2017, and noting that it was opened to signature by the Secretary- General of the United Nations on 20 September 2017, entered into force on 22 January 2021 and held its first Meeting of States Parties on 21–23 June 2022, Reaffirming that further strengthening of the international regime for nuclear non-proliferation is essential to international peace and security, and also reaffirming the inalienable right of all States parties to the NPT to develop research, production and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes without discrimination and in conformity with the Treaty, as well as the importance of nuclear safeguards, safety and security for fullest possible use and exchange of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and their contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, Reaffirming the importance to ensure the equal, full and effective participation and leadership of both women and men and to further integrate a gender perspective in all aspects of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation decision-making processes, Noting that further work is required to ensure the irreversibility of nuclear disarmament as well as to improve predictability and enhance accountability, and welcoming transparency and reporting measures by some nuclear-weapon States on nuclear policy, doctrine, and budgeting, including public sharing of information on modernization plans in this regard, 1. Urges all States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to make every effort to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again, pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, and to refrain from any inflammatory rhetoric concerning the use of nuclear weapons, based on the recognition that all States have a shared interest in averting a nuclear war, 2. Calls upon the nuclear-weapon States, pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, to honor and respect all existing security assurances undertaken by them and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear weapon States Parties to the NPT consistent with their respective national statements, A/RES/77/76 Steps to building a common roadmap towards a world without nuclear weapons 22-28176 4/5 3. Calls upon all States, in particular the nuclear-weapon States, to apply the principles of irreversibility, verifiability and transparency in relation to the implementation of their NPT obligations; to immediately pursue enhanced transparency measures by providing information in line with Action 21 of the 2010 Action Plan, related to concrete data on their nuclear arsenals and capabilities, without prejudice to their national security, as well as national measures related to nuclear disarmament including their nuclear policies, doctrines and nuclear risk reduction measures, including status of production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; and to provide frequent and detailed reporting on the implementation of the NPT and opportunities for discussion of these reports, taking into account Actions 20 and 21 of the 2010 Action Plan and paragraph 187 (35) of NPT/CONF.2020/WP.77 as a useful reference, 4. Emphasizes that maintaining the overall decreasing trend of the global stockpile of nuclear weapons is vital in getting closer to a world free of nuclear weapons and calls upon nuclear-weapons States to undertake further efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate all types of nuclear weapons, deployed and non-deployed, regardless of their location, including through unilateral, bilateral, regional and multilateral measures, 5. Urges all States, that have yet to sign and/or ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty6 (CTBT) to do so in all expediency, particularly the remaining eight States listed in its Annex 2, and pending the entry into force of the CTBT, to refrain from nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions, and any other action that would defeat the object and purpose of that Treaty, and to declare or maintain existing moratoriums on nuclear weapon test explosions, as well as to assist the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization in its work in preparing for the entry into force of the Treaty, 6. Calls on the Conference on Disarmament to immediately commence and bring to an early conclusion, negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in accordance with CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein, as well as on the nuclear-weapons States to declare or maintain voluntary moratoriums on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices, 7. Calls on all States, in particular the nuclear-weapon States to commit to further identifying, exploring and implementing effective risk reduction measures necessary to mitigate risks relating to nuclear weapons use that arise from miscalculation, misperception, miscommunication or accident, inter alia, to intensify dialogue among and between the nuclear-weapon States and with the non-nuclear weapons States; to develop and make every effort to implement effective crisis prevention and management arrangements, mechanisms and tools; to maintain the practice of not targeting each other or any other state with nuclear weapons and keep them at the lowest possible alert levels, 8. Calls on all States to strengthen support for initiatives to develop multilateral disarmament verification and capacity-building in support of nuclear disarmament and as an effective step towards achieving the objectives of Article VI of the NPT, and to further conceptual and practical work on nuclear disarmament verification, taking into account the importance of partnerships between nuclear- weapon States and non-nuclear-weapon States on this matter and encourage broad participation by all States, __________________ 6 See resolution 50/245 and A/50/1027. Steps to building a common roadmap towards a world without nuclear weapons A/RES/77/76 5/5 22-28176 9. Underscores the importance of complying with non-proliferation obligations and addressing all non-compliance matters in order to uphold the integrity of the NPT and the authority of the safeguards system, 10. Reaffirms the commitment to achieving the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, as well as all other existing weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs, of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, and the obligation of all Member States to fully implement all relevant Security Council resolutions, notes with serious concern the DPRK’s announcement of 9 September 2022 of an updated law on nuclear policy lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons, and urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to return at an early date to full compliance with the NPT and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, 11. Calls on all States to facilitate efforts on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education, which is a useful and effective means to advance goals of the NPT in support of achieving a world without nuclear weapons, inter alia, efforts in which the young generation can actively engage, including through dialogue platforms, mentoring, internships, fellowships, scholarships, model events and youth group activities, as well as to raise awareness of the realities of the use of nuclear weapons, including through, among others, visits by leaders, youth and others to and interactions with communities and people, including the hibakusha (those who have suffered the use of nuclear weapons) who pass on their experiences to the future generations, and welcomes concrete measures in this regard, including the Young Professionals Network of P5 academics, “The Youth4Disarmament Initiative”, “Disarmament education: resources for learning” and the announcement of “Youth Leader Fund for a world without nuclear weapons”, 12. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-eighth session, under the item entitled “General and complete disarmament”, the sub-item entitled “Steps to building a common roadmap towards a world without nuclear weapons”. 46th plenary meeting 7 December 2022

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