On 20 and 21 March, senior diplomats, international organisations officials, and representatives of select non-governmental organisations gathered in Annecy, France to discuss key issues for the third session of the Preparatory Committee of the 2026 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The meeting, organised by the VCDNP and the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS), brought together more than 60 participants, including representatives of 36 NPT States Parties.
The annual Annecy workshop, conducted in support of the NPT review process, is designed to provide an informal setting in which representatives of key States Parties can exchange candid views on the state of the non-proliferation regime, as well as priorities, challenges, and opportunities for the next review process meeting. The agenda covered issues across the three pillars of the NPT – disarmament, non-proliferation, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy – as well as strengthening the review process.
Workshop participants highlighted the complexity of the current international security environment and expressed concern about the geopolitical tensions, continued crisis of arms control, and growing proliferation pressures. While the expectations for the upcoming Preparatory Committee session were low, several participants underscored the need to use the meeting to discuss concrete proposals on the recommendations for the 2026 NPT Review Conference. Among different topics, the issue of advancing transparency, accountability, and reporting received particular attention.
UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu delivered remarks in the opening session of the workshop. Chair-designate of the third Preparatory Committee session Ambassador Harold Agyeman shared his perspective on the upcoming meeting and engaged in an exchange with workshop participants in the closing session. Ambassador Alexander Kmentt of Austria gave the keynote address at the end of the first day.
The VCDNP and CNS express their gratitude to the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Government of Japan, the Government of Germany, and other funders whose generous support made this workshop possible.
