Kazakhstan Chairs the Work of the Non-Proliferation Committee at the NPT Review Conference

The 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) continues at the Headquarters of the United Nations (UN) in New York amid persistent tensions in international security, deepening geopolitical polarization, and growing disagreements over issues related to arms control and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

One of the key negotiating tracks of the Conference remains the work of the Second Main Committee on non-proliferation issues, which addresses matters related to International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, export controls, nuclear security, as well as regional aspects of the NPT regime. The work of the Committee is chaired by Kairat Umarov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Nations.

During the meetings held from 4 to 15 May, States Parties reaffirmed the central role of the NPT as a foundation of the global international security architecture and underscored the importance of preserving the depoliticized nature of the review process. In its capacity as Chair of the Committee, Kazakhstan consistently advocated for an inclusive, transparent, and balanced negotiating process, while also promoting approaches based on strengthening international cooperation, trust, and multilateral diplomacy. The work was conducted in a pragmatic and consensus-oriented format, with an emphasis on maintaining trust among States Parties.

At the same time, Kazakhstan, in its national capacity, continues to advance practical initiatives aimed at strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime and international security. The Kazakh side underscores the relevance of the initiative put forward by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to resume dialogue among nuclear-weapon states on issues of strategic stability and nuclear risk reduction.

Among Kazakhstan’s priorities remains the promotion of the early ratification of the Protocol to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, which provides legally binding negative security assurances to the states of the region by nuclear-weapon states.

Particular attention is also being paid to the development of practical mechanisms to ensure secure access for states to peaceful nuclear technologies. In this context, the International Atomic Energy Agency Low Enriched Uranium Bank located in Kazakhstan is highlighted as an important element of the international architecture of nuclear security and trust.