11th NPT Review Conference Opens at UN

Signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons convened the 11th review conference at United Nations headquarters in New York on April 27, 2026, amid rising concerns over eroding commitments and the risk of a new nuclear arms race.

The monthlong gathering, running through May 22, reviews progress on the 1970 treaty, which has 191 state parties and seeks to halt the spread of nuclear weapons, advance disarmament and foster civilian nuclear cooperation. Exceptions include Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea. Addressing the opening session, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the treaty has eroded for too long, with unfulfilled commitments, thinning trust and accelerating proliferation drivers. "We need to breathe life into the Treaty once more," he said, recalling his 2022 alert that humanity remains one miscalculation from nuclear annihilation.

Conference President Do Hung Viet, Vietnam's UN ambassador, tempered expectations, stating the meeting cannot resolve broader strategic tensions but could produce a balanced outcome reaffirming core commitments and practical steps. "The success or failure of this conference will have implications...