Director-General's remarks for the Commemoration event on the occasion of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests

Commemoration event for the International Day Against Nuclear Tests 

“The Effects of Nuclear Tests on Health”

Thursday, 29 August 2024, at 1.15 p.m.

Room XXV, Palais des Nations 

Delivered on behalf of the Director-General by Ms. Lidiya Grigoreva, Cheffe de Cabinet of the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva

Excellencies, 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

On behalf of Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament and Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, it is my great honour to join you and to deliver a message of Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, who could not be with us today as she is out of Geneva on mission. 

"Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

I extend my sincere gratitude to Ambassador Alimbaev and the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan for their leadership in organizing this annual special event dedicated to the International Day Against Nuclear Tests. I also wish to thank the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) for their vital partnership in highlighting the profound impacts of nuclear tests on health. 

The history of nuclear testing demonstrates the catastrophic consequences that weapons of mass destruction have on human health, the environment, and global stability. From the first nuclear detonations in 1945 to the more than 2,000 that followed, their devastating effects are still felt today. The horrific impact of the nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is well-known. Beyond these two tragedies, other regions have suffered from nuclear tests, including:

• The Marshall Islands, which experienced 67 nuclear tests between 1946 and 1958.
• The Novaya Zemlya archipelago, which was the site of extensive nuclear testing, including by the “Tsar Bomba” – the most powerful nuclear device ever exploded.
• The Nevada Test Site in the United States, where more than 900 nuclear tests took place between 1951 and 1992.
• The site at Semipalatinsk, which was subjected to 456 nuclear tests and is another stark example of the long-term damage that nuclear weapons inflict. Symbolically, the date of the closure of this site 33 years ago, on 29 August, was declared the International Day against Nuclear Tests in Resolution 64/35, unanimously adopted at the 64th session of the UN General Assembly.

As a result of these nuclear tests, local populations, including indigenous communities, have suffered from long-term health issues – cancers, birth defects, and ongoing psychological trauma. The scars left by these tests are not just physical; they are deeply etched in the collective memory of humanity.

Today, as we face complicated international challenges – global mistrust, rising tensions between nations, political and economic instability and inequality in different parts of the world –the risks associated with the use of nuclear weapons are as relevant as ever. The potential for a nuclear confrontation would have global catastrophic consequences, not confined by national borders.

As the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres recently stated, “The only way to eliminate the threat posed by nuclear weapons is to eliminate the weapons themselves”. The long-term health impacts of nuclear tests, which are still suffered by communities around the world today, emphasize the need for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

But despite the global challenges we face, there is hope. Multilateral diplomacy, with the United Nations at its core, remains our most powerful tool to avert such catastrophic events. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a cornerstone in this regard. Although the Treaty has yet to enter into force, its global norm against nuclear testing is strong, with over 185 countries having signed or ratified it. This is a testament to the overwhelming consensus that nuclear testing is a threat to all humanity.

Governments, international organizations, civil society, scientists, and activists all have critical roles to play in advocating for nuclear disarmament and ensuring that the voices of those affected by nuclear tests are heard. Their tireless efforts remind us that behind statistics there are human stories – stories of suffering, resilience, and the determination to build a safer future.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we gather here today to mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests, we can remind the world of the horrific consequences of nuclear testing and nuclear weapons on human health. Let us renew our commitment to the cause of nuclear disarmament and to the health and well-being of all peoples. Let us remember that our shared humanity transcends borders, and that the health of one is the health of all. In honoring the victims of nuclear tests, we reaffirm our determination to build a world where such atrocities remain in the past”.

This was the end of the message of the Director-General of UNOG.

Thank you.