United Nations Secretary General Message for The International Day Against Nuclear Test 2012

Secretary-General's Message for 2012 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon


 This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization.

Since its founding, the CTBTO PrepCom has built the world’s largest multilateral verification regime, overcoming numerous political and practical challenges in the process.

 Today, the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty enjoys nearly worldwide support for its goal of a verifiable, permanent, global ban on all types of nuclear explosive tests. Yet eight of the 44 nuclear-capable States which must ratify the CTBT for it to enter into force have yet to do so.

The importance of bringing the CTBT into force cannot be overemphasized. The world has endured over 2,000 nuclear tests since 1945. Such tests poison the environment – and they poison the political climate as well. They breed mistrust, isolation and fear.


 I once again call on the leaders of all those States that have not yet signed and ratified the CTBT to do so without delay. I urge them to visit the site of a nuclear test, contaminated beyond remediation; speak to those who were exposed to the fallout, many of whom suffer still. The human and environmental consequences of nuclear testing should compel these leaders to take the necessary action to prevent this from ever happening again.


 The repercussions of nuclear tests are all too familiar in Kazakhstan, where people have coped with the fallout for over 50 years. To its credit, and with the firm intention to put an end to nuclear testing, Kazakhstan proposed the creation of an International Day against Nuclear Tests – a proposal that was unanimously adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 2009. The observance has quickly become a critical initiative aimed at promoting the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world. This ambition goes beyond narrow self-interest or regional rivalries; it is a global imperative meant to serve all humankind. But success will come only if we all put our efforts into this task. Therefore let us commit to work together to achieve a world free of nuclear tests and the terrible weapons that are their cruel legacy. Ban Ki-moon Previous Messages Message for 2011 Message for 2010