February 24, Colombo (LNW): The high-level segment of the Conference on Disarmament opened in Geneva yesterday under the presidency of Omar Zniber of Morocco, with proceedings set to continue until February 25, 2026.
Delivering a video address on the opening day, Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, underscored the urgent need to strengthen multilateral cooperation in the face of mounting geopolitical instability.
He stressed that a resilient and inclusive international system is essential to preserving lasting peace and safeguarding future generations.
Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s longstanding engagement in global disarmament efforts, the Minister noted that, as a developing island nation from the Global South, the country has consistently advocated balanced and equitable approaches to international security challenges.
He reiterated Colombo’s commitment to preventing an arms race in outer space and to advancing the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
Minister Herath also voiced continued support for the creation of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones, particularly in the Middle East, describing such initiatives as confidence-building measures that contribute to regional and global stability.
Addressing the implications of rapidly evolving technologies, he highlighted Sri Lanka’s concern over the humanitarian and legal challenges posed by emerging weapons systems. He called for the early launch of negotiations on a legally binding international instrument to prohibit Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, arguing that clear global norms are necessary to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law.
In his remarks to the forum, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, appealed for renewed dedication to multilateralism, warning that escalating global tensions threaten collective security gains achieved over decades.
Foreign ministers and senior representatives from several countries, including Armenia, Cuba, Indonesia, Iran, Kyrgyzstan and Norway, addressed the gathering in person, alongside senior officials from the United States and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Numerous other leaders participated via recorded messages.
Sri Lanka was represented in Geneva by Sumith Dassanayake, its Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other international organisations in Switzerland.
Established as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community by the UN General Assembly’s landmark 1978 special session on disarmament, the Conference comprises 65 member states, including the five recognised nuclear-weapon states. Sri Lanka has been a member since its inception, maintaining an active voice in negotiations on arms control and non-proliferation.
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