Address by Minister Richmond to the Conference on Disarmament, Geneva

Address to the Conference on Disarmament

Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora Neale Richmond

Geneva, 26 February 2025

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President,

I am delighted to address the Conference on Disarmament. Allow me to begin by congratulating Ambassador Tomiko Ichikawa on assumption of the Presidency. I can assure you of Ireland’s full cooperation and support during your term.

I also wish to extend my thanks to the Secretary-General of the Conference, Tatiana Valovaya, and the team for their support.

President,

I welcome the positive engagement by delegations to this Conference over the last year. Ireland was proud to contribute to this during our own Presidency, overseeing agreement on the subsidiary bodies with a view to a continuation of their work this year.

However, such incremental progress must be set in the context of the increasingly concerning international peace and security context this Conference finds itself in.

This week marks the third anniversary of the Russian Federation’s barbaric and illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Over the past three years, the people of Ukraine have endured unimaginable violence and suffering, and the destruction of their homes, livelihoods and critical infrastructure at the hands of the Russian Federation.

Russia’s actions threaten the fundamental principles that are the foundation of the global peace and security architecture.

Russia’s illegal seizure of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has created unacceptable nuclear safety and security risks, threatening the Ukrainian people and the entire region. Ireland condemns Russia’s nuclear threats and rhetoric in this illegal war. Russia must adhere to its international obligations – as well as our collective responsibility to uphold the disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

Ireland will continue to work towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on respect for the principles of the UN Charter and international law, and with justice and accountability at its heart. This process must be inclusive. There cannot be any discussions about Ukraine, without Ukraine.

President,

We continue to witness the escalation of multiple conflicts, which endanger the lives of millions and threaten to destabilise entire regions.

Ireland is deeply concerned at the situation in Gaza. We must avoid a resumption of hostilities, and all sides must honour their commitments under the ceasefire and hostage release deal. We need to see the further release of hostages and the continuation of much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. The resumption of conflict in Gaza would be disastrous and everything must be done to avert this.

We are gravely concerned by the scale of the appalling humanitarian crisis across Sudan. This catastrophe is man-made, caused by conflict, forced displacement, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the renewed offensive by M23 has had considerable impact on the already harsh humanitarian situation.

Amid this precarious international backdrop, strengthening the disarmament and non-proliferation regime must be a renewed priority for each and every one of us.

For far too long, this Conference has been unable to achieve consensus on even a Programme of Work, languishing in an extended state of paralysis. This cannot continue. These challenges require this Conference to proceed with urgency, underpinned by genuine political will and flexibility to achieve real progress.

President,

Progress demands inclusive participation and recommitment to the spirit of multilateralism. The establishment of subsidiary bodies presents an opportunity to progress to substantive discussions towards commencing negotiations.

It is crucial that observers are able to participate in the work of this Conference, without preconditions. Preventing such participation brings the effective functioning of the Conference further into question. Furthermore, it is essential that this Conference reflect today’s global landscape. The expansion of Membership is long overdue and must be advanced without delay.

Ireland remains committed to amplifying all voices in the call for progress. The need for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women to achieve sustainable outcomes is well-established. Gender equality and improving women’s participation in this process, and many others, must remain central to our work.

President,

We must also make urgent progress in the context of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty at the upcoming Preparatory Committee and at next year’s Review Conference. In particular, the unequivocal undertaking of the nuclear-weapon states to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals must be implemented. We must all collectively recommit to reinvigorating the NPT regime.

It is in this spirit of reinvigoration that Ireland, together with New Zealand, was pleased to put forward a resolution, resoundingly adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, to establish an Independent Scientific Panel to study the effects of nuclear war. Our discussions and policies must be based on the most accurate, up-to-date, and objective information – so that we can all better understand the consequences of nuclear weapons.

Ireland is also proud to advance concrete initiatives to increase the transparency and accountability of nuclear weapon states to meet their NPT disarmament obligations.

And as a member of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which is fully complementary to the NPT, we remain fully committed to our collective goal of achieving a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), the last legal instrument negotiated by this Conference nearly 30 years ago, is a powerful demonstration of what can be accomplished. We call on all remaining Annex 2 States to join the CTBT without delay and without conditions. Ahead of this, strict observance of the global moratorium on nuclear weapons testing must be maintained. Any reversal of progress or weakening of the norm against testing is dangerous and unacceptable.

President,

Ireland remains committed to multilateralism and to the mandate of this Conference as a forum to make much needed progress on disarmament. It is imperative that this Conference rise to the challenge of the increasingly difficult geopolitical context that surrounds us.

We find ourselves at a junction of human history; we must not turn back on the progress made but instead choose the path of peace and security that disarmament fosters. This journey will require innovation, inclusiveness, trust, flexibility and genuine political will.

Ireland will do its part. We will continue to speak out, to uphold international norms and to strengthen the disarmament architecture, working towards real and meaningful progress.

I call on all States to work collectively, as we have done in the past, to forge a path forward. In 2025, we must recommit to the substantive work of this Conference and to building a safer, more secure, and peaceful world for us all.

Thank you.