New York, 14 October 2026
Mr. Chair,
My Delegation would like to congratulate you and the members of the Bureau on your election and to assure you of its constructive engagement throughout this session.
This Committee is meeting at a time when conflicts and divisions are poisoning international relations. While trust and dialogue are weakening and the architecture of arms control and disarmament, patiently built over decades, is coming under growing strain, military expenditure continues to rise, accompanied by renewed and massive investment in new military capabilities. This course cannot provide a lasting foundation for peace. It diverts resources away from integral human development, leaving those in vulnerable situations to bear the gravest consequences of conflict. The temptation to accept war as inevitable or to regard rearmament as a prerequisite for peacekeeping must be resisted, as must be the temptation to assume that there are no alternatives to war.
As Pope Leo XIV affirms: “Promoting peace is an active task. Today we must ask whether we are truly making ‘creative efforts’ to advance world peace, or whether we are simply seeking to ‘stem the tide of war’ and better prepare ourselves for wars that we assume are still to come?”[1]
Mr. Chair,
The nuclear landscape continues to give cause for profound concern. Nuclear arsenals are being modernised and expanded, and rhetoric surrounding their potential use is becoming increasingly prevalent. Meanwhile, integrating artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into nuclear-related systems introduces further risks by influencing the conditions under which decisions of incalculable consequence are made. Furthermore, security cannot be based on such a precarious foundation since the humanitarian and environmental consequences of the use of nuclear weapons would transcend borders and generations.
These developments further expose the flawed logic of nuclear deterrence as a security model. A system that relies on the credible threat of catastrophic destruction is vulnerable to escalation and miscalculation. Introducing technologies into armaments that accelerate decision-making, increase complexity, or distance human judgement from the consequences, can only compound these risks. In this respect, Pope Leo XIV regards it as a non-negotiable requirement that armament systems “remain under effective, self-aware and responsible human control.”[2] Moreover, responsibility must be traceable throughout the decision-making process.
In particular, the Holy See reiterates its call for a legally binding instrument[3] establishing clear prohibitions of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), regulating the development and use of artificial intelligence, and ensuring accountability and robust protection for civilians and the infrastructure necessary for their survival. Technological progress must always serve the human person and the common good, and must never diminish the moral responsibility that accompanies decisions over human life.
Furthermore, the Holy See calls for existing international commitments to be respected, particularly with regard to the renewed implementation of Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The Holy See also reaffirms its support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) as a complementary instrument for fulfilling those obligations. Thirty years after its adoption, the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) also remains an urgent priority. Until then, existing moratoria on nuclear tests must be upheld, and the verification regime must be fully supported.
The devastating impact of conventional weapons also demands urgent attention. Civilians bear an intolerable burden from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Landmines and explosive remnants of war kill and maim long after hostilities have ended. The illicit proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons fuels violence and instability, with grave consequences for persons and communities in vulnerable situations.
Mr. Chair,
New and emerging technologies are also transforming other domains of international security. In outer space, for example, growing competition in the military risks undermining its peaceful use. The Holy See therefore encourages renewed efforts to prevent the militarisation of outer space, ensuring that space activities are conducted responsibly and exclusively for peaceful purposes and the benefit of all humanity.
The same responsibility must guide the information and communications technology environment. The misuse of ICTs can undermine peace, security and trust among States, while affecting the lives and dignity of individuals and communities.
Mr. Chair,
Disarmament is not an abstract aspiration; it cannot be postponed until more favourable circumstances arise. It is an essential part of building peace. At a time when progress towards integral human development is fragile and so many basic human needs are unmet, the continued growth of global military expenditure is a serious concern. The work of this Committee must contribute to restoring dialogue and trust, ensuring that technological and material power remain subject to human responsibility and are directed towards the common good. As Pope Leo XIV affirms, “Peace is not a balance of power; rather, it is built day by day through dialogue and justice.”[4]
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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[1] Pope Leo XIV, Address at the Meeting “To the Roots of Europe for Peace and Unity”, 28 September 2026.
[2] Pope Leo XIV, Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas, 200.
[3] Cf. Document CCW/CONF.VI/WP.3, “Translating Ethical Concerns into a Normative and Operational Framework for Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems”, submitted by the Holy See to the Sixth Review Conference of the CCW, 13-17 December 2021, n. 23.
[4] Pope Leo XIV, Address to the Authorities, Civil Society and the Diplomatic Corps, Paris, 25 September 2026.
