Philippines Leads Dialogue on Nuclear Disarmament in Side Event on NPT Prepcom 2023

DFA Assistant Secretary for the United Nations and International Organizations Maria Teresa T. Almojuela (second from left) moderated discussions on nuclear disarmament, particularly on Action 5 of the 2010 NPT Action Plan. The panelists were Ambassador  Ichiro Ogasawara (Japan), Ambassador Aidan Liddle (United Kingdom), and Ambassador  Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko (South Africa). (photo from Vienna PE)

VIENNA  22 August 2023 – The Philippines led discussions on nuclear disarmament with senior diplomats from Japan, South Africa, and the United Kingdom during its side event held on the margins of the ongoing First Session of the Preparatory Committee Meeting (PrepCom) for the 2026 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference at the Vienna International Center.

Titled, “Thirteen Years Hence: Action 5 as a Disarmament Landing Zone of the Past and Disarmament Takeoff Zone for the Future” the side event organized by the Philippine Delegation explored the advancements and challenges of nuclear disarmament under Action 5 of the 2010 Action Plan, which seeks to “accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to nuclear disarmament.” Action 5 identifies seven target areas of commitment for realizing the Treaty’s goals, including transparency and accountability, and risk reduction. 

Retired Philippine Ambassador Libran L. Cabactulan addressed the panel virtually to open the discussion. He  acknowledged the present obstacles to fulfilling the promise of Action 5 in light of current developments, such as the nuclear threat raised amid the war in Ukraine and the most recent two consecutive failures of the 9th and 10th NPT Review Conference to adopt a consensus outcome. Nonetheless, Ambassador Cabactulan urged the participants to continue exploring “imaginative solutions” throughout this review cycle armed with the virtues of “patience, perseverance, and preparations.” Ambassador Cabactulan is regarded as a leading figure in the successful negotiations that produced the Action Plan during his tenure as the President of the 2010 Review Conference. 

Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa T. Almojuela moderated a spirited dialogue among the expert panelists that reflected the range of perspectives between Non-Nuclear Weapons States and Nuclear Weapons States. Drawing from their wealth of experience in non-proliferation diplomacy, Ambassador Ichiro Ogasawara (Japan), Ambassador Aidan Liddle (United Kingdom), and Ambassador Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko (South Africa) each articulated their countries’ successes and stumbling blocks in promoting nuclear disarmament. 

The expert panelists offered valuable analyses of the most crucial avenues for achieving disarmament under Action 5’s various areas of commitment. Ambassador Ogasawara highlighted his country’s dedication to Action 5’s call to “reduce the accidental risk of nuclear weapons” as an advocacy shaped by the enduring ramifications of Japan’s experience of nuclear devastation. Echoing South Africa’s advocacy as a Non-Nuclear Weapons State, Ambassador Diseko emphasized that the political will of Nuclear Weapons States represents the deciding factor in advancing Action 5’s commitment to reducing the global nuclear weapons stockpile. Ambassador Liddle gave a detailed overview of the United Kingdom’s national disarmament record while noting his country’s continued efforts to spearhead collective dialogue among the P5 countries. 

The side event represents the latest endeavor in the Philippines´ long-standing advocacy to promote the core commitments of the NPT in the multilateral arena. The Philippines will host another side event exploring the peaceful uses of nuclear energy along the margins of the current PrepCom Meeting. END

The Philippine-organized side event explored the progress and challenges of nuclear disarmament efforts under Action 5 of the 2010 Action Plan. (photo from Vienna PE)

For more information, visit https://www.viennape.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philippine-embassy.at  or https://www.facebook.com/PHinAustria/,  https://www.twitter.com/PHLinAustria  or https://www.instagram.com/phinaustria/ .