A video conference on the occasion of the International Day against Nuclear Tests took place at ESCAP

On August 31, 2020, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Kingdom of Thailand, with the support of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), held a video conference dedicated to the International Day against Nuclear Tests.

During the event, which was first held in a virtual format, a short documentary film about the tragedy of the Semipalatinsk test site was shown, at the end of which, the participants honored with a minute of silence the memory of the victims of the use and testing of nuclear weapons. In her welcoming speech, Ambassador Raushan Yesbulatova noted the exceptional role of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy Nursultan Nazarbayev in promoting the global anti-nuclear initiative, the recognition of which was the awarding of him the status of Champion for a nuclear-free world.

The rejection of the world's fourth largest nuclear potential gave a clear signal to the international community about the peaceful intentions of young Kazakhstan. This historic step largely predetermined the future of the country's international activities. Kazakhstan under the leadership of Elbasy has become one of the most active supporters of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

The Republic was among the first CIS member states to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The signing of the Semipalatinsk Treaty created a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia - the first such zone in the Northern Hemisphere.

More than 10 years ago, on the initiative of Kazakhstan, by a resolution of the UN General Assembly, August 29 was declared the International Day against Nuclear Tests, which is celebrated all over the world today. In 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration to Achieve a World Free of Nuclear Weapons. The establishment on the territory of Kazakhstan of the IAEA Low-Enriched Uranium Bank in 2017 opened access to the peaceful atom for all interested states. Another confirmation of Kazakhstan's commitment to nuclear disarmament was the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which is designed to fill the legal gap in the area of prohibition of weapons of mass destruction. R.Yesbulatova addressed to the participants of the event with an appeal to unite efforts to achieve the ambitious goal declared by the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Elbasy N.A. Nazarbayev from the UN rostrum - to build a world free of nuclear weapons by 2045.

ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsia Alisjahbana, addressing the participants of the event, noted that the International Day against Nuclear Tests initiated by Kazakhstan provides an opportunity not only to remember those who suffered from nuclear explosions, but also inspires to unite for advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Along with the Head of ESCAP, H.E. Mrs. E.Hager, Ambassador of Austria, H.E. Mr. C.R.Bargetto, Ambassador of Chile, Mr. R.Virabutr, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Organizations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, as well as representatives of the embassies of Japan, South Africa and Sri Lanka spoke at the videoconference. In their comments, the speakers thanked the Embassy of Kazakhstan for the initiative to hold the event, highly appreciated the activities of the Republic and its leadership in solving problems in the field of non-proliferation, promoting international nuclear-free initiatives, and also called for uniting the efforts of the world community to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons.

Along with this, Mr. A.Akhmetov, Director of the Center for International Security and Policy speaking on behalf of civil society noted the need to take immediate measures to completely and universally end nuclear tests.

A similar event dedicated to the International Day against Nuclear Tests is being held at the initiative of the Embassy of Kazakhstan at the headquarters of ESCAP for the third year and is becoming a good tradition.