'Doomsday clock' advances: UN chief urges global action on nuclear disarmament

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday warned that the "doomsday clock moved one second closer to midnight" as some countries are investing in new nuclear weapons, calling for an urgent action on disarmament.

Guterres' remarks came at the Conference on Disarmament, which was held on the sidelines of the 58th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"The urgency to produce results remains critical. Last month, the so-called doomsday clock moved one second closer to midnight. Some countries are investing in new nuclear weapons and their means of delivery," he said. "Others are expanding their inventories of nuclear weapons and materials."

He criticized nations that resort to nuclear threats as a form of coercion and raised concerns about the emergence of new arms races, particularly in outer space and the burgeoning weaponization of artificial intelligence.

"Some continue to outrageously rattle the nuclear saber as a means of coercion," Guterres said, calling attention to the urgent need for dialogue and action.

He pointed out that while the landscape is fraught with challenges, there are also signs of hope. The secretary-general referenced the adoption of the Pact for the Future by world leaders last September, which reaffirms the understanding that "the nuclear option is not an option at all.

Guterres warned that pursuing nuclear weapons is a "one-way road to annihilation" and stressed the necessity to avoid this path at all costs.

He urged conference participants to capitalize on the momentum generated by the pact, calling for continued reforms and tough discussions within the conference framework. He appealed to delegates to develop concrete and practical measures aimed at achieving a nuclear-free world, preventing the weaponization of outer space, and strengthening the multilateral security architecture for future generations.

"The entire world is counting on you to deliver practical progress and action on your agenda items," he declared, reinforcing the responsibility of nations to work collaboratively towards a more secure and peaceful future.