UNITED NATIONS, April 27. /TASS/. For the first time in decades, the number of nuclear warheads in the world has begun to rise, several governments are openly discussing the acquisition of nuclear weapons, and global military spending has reached $2.7 trillion, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
"For the first time in decades, the number of nuclear warheads is on the rise. Nuclear testing is back on the table. Some governments are openly mulling the acquisition of these horrific weapons. Have we forgotten that a nuclear war cannot be won and must not be fought?" Guterres said.
The Secretary-General also noted that global military spending last year amounted to $2.7 trillion: 13 times more than all worldwide development aid and comparable to the total GDP of the entire African continent.
On April 27, the 11th Review Conference of the NPT began its work at the UN headquarters in New York. This conference is held once every five years and brings together nearly all states parties to the treaty (191 states) to assess how the NPT is being implemented in three main areas: non-proliferation, nuclear disarmament, and the peaceful use of atomic energy. This year, a tense discussion is expected against the backdrop of current conflicts and geopolitical disagreements: delegates will attempt to agree on a final document with practical steps. Many experts doubt success due to deep contradictions between nuclear and non-nuclear powers. The conference will run until May 22.