On 19 February 2025, the VCDNP hosted a side event at the CTBTO Preparatory Commission’s Working Group B meeting to discuss key areas for action ahead of the Article XIV Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, taking place in September 2025. The event was organised in cooperation with the Permanent Missions of Norway and Panama to the International Organisations in Vienna, representing the co-chairs of the 2025 Article XIV Conference.
Amid rising geopolitical tensions, Russia’s 2023 de-ratification of the CTBT, and the potential resumption of nuclear testing, discussions on ways to uphold the global norm against nuclear testing and achieve further ratifications, particularly from the nine remaining Annex 2 States, are critical. The panellists emphasised the CTBT’s role in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation as well as the International Monitoring System’s (IMS) value beyond detecting nuclear explosions.
The speakers were:
- Ambassador Susan Eckey, Permanent Representative of Norway to the International Organisations in Vienna
- Natanael Pineda Rodriguez, Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Panama to the International Organisations in Vienna
- Dr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
- Anne Strømmen Lycke, CEO, NORSAR
- Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, Japan Chair for a World without Nuclear Weapons, VCDNP
- Daryl Kimbal, Executive Director, Arms Control Association (virtual)
VCDNP Executive Director Elena K. Sokova moderated the discussion.
Working Towards Entry Into Force
Ambassador Susan Eckey stressed the need for clear messaging on the CTBT’s importance amid rising global instability. She highlighted the strong support for the Treaty, with 187 State Signatories, but emphasised that further ratifications are needed for its entry into force.
Mr. Pineda Rodriguez reaffirmed Panama’s commitment to securing the Treaty’s entry into force. Acknowledging the difficult geopolitical climate, he called for a multi-faceted strategy: amplifying public support through academia and civil society engagement, dialogue with States that are yet to sign or ratify the Treaty, and building new diplomatic partnerships. He urged the international community to take concrete steps to ensure its entry into force and noted that “The time for action is now. The CTBT is not just a treaty but a legacy we must carry to the next generation.”
Addressing Challenges and Opportunities for the CTBT
CTBTO Executive Secretary Dr. Robert Floyd underscored the role of diplomacy in advancing ratifications. Citing successful outreach efforts that led to recent ratifications, he emphasised that positive reinforcement and strategic diplomatic networking are key to securing further commitments. He urged participants to use their influence to engage Annex 2 hold-out States, noting that diplomatic statecraft has been instrumental in past successes.
Anne Strømmen Lycke, CEO of NORSAR, an independent seismology institute serving as the National Data Center of Norway, highlighted the International Monitoring System’s (IMS) critical role in detecting nuclear explosions. She stressed the need for continued investment in IMS technologies and emphasised the contributions of young scientists in maintaining the verification system. Ms. Strømmen Lycke warned that waning support for the IMS could undermine the Treaty’s credibility, calling for sustained international backing.
Strengthening the CTBT in the NPT Review Process
Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, Japan Chair for a World without Nuclear Weapons at the VCDNP, placed the CTBT within the broader context of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), underlining its continued relevance in the NPT review process. With the 2025 NPT Preparatory Committee meeting (PrepCom) approaching, she called on States to reaffirm their support for the CTBT, agree on language to this effect in recommendations to the NPT Review Conference, and make concrete pledges of support to the CTBTO and the IMS. She also warned of the risks posed by rising isolationism, which could weaken multilateral efforts to advance nuclear non-proliferation.
Reinforcing the Norm Against Nuclear Testing
Daryl Kimball, Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, provided an assessment of the risks facing the CTBT. While no state except North Korea has conducted nuclear tests in the 21st century, he cautioned that the global moratorium cannot be taken for granted. He pointed to Russia’s de-ratification, political divisions in the United States, and concerning rhetoric as growing threats to the test ban norm.
Mr. Kimball outlined four key measures to reinforce the CTBT’s standing. He advised that supporters of the Treaty should:
- Work towards a joint statement at the NPT PrepCom, reaffirming support for the CTBT and the global test moratorium, warning of the consequences of resuming testing, and outlining consequences for violations of the no-test norm.
- Press for a joint P5 statement and/or new UNSC Resolution (building on the 2016 UNSC Resolution 2310) that reaffirm support for a zero-yield test ban and encourage technical discussions between the CTBTO and the P5 on confidence-building measures to demonstrate that subcritical nuclear experiments do not violate the zero-yield prohibition on testing in the CTBT.
- Send more heads of government and foreign ministers to Article XIV Conferences to demonstrate high-level political commitment to the CTBT’s entry into force.
- Target heads of government in outreach to Annex 2 hold-out States on CTBT adherence and entry into force.
He warned that the United States’ potential return to a policy of maintaining readiness to resume testing within six months could signal a significant risk of renewed nuclear testing under the current administration. These developments, he argued, underscore the urgency of reinforcing the test ban regime before momentum is lost.
The event underscored the pressing need for renewed diplomatic engagement, sustained political commitments, and collective action to ensure the CTBT’s entry into force. As global security challenges mount, the discussions highlighted the Treaty’s indispensable role in preventing nuclear testing, supporting disarmament efforts, and strengthening the non-proliferation regime.