Holy See: Disarmament is essential to building peace and cannot be postponed

By Isabella H. de Carvalho

Archbishop Christophe El Kassis, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York, highlighted the urgent need to promote and enact disarmament across the world and to tackle the root causes generating hunger and poverty, during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, October 14.

“Disarmament is not an abstract aspiration; it cannot be postponed until more favourable circumstances arise. It is an essential part of building peace,” he said.

“At a time when progress towards integral human development is fragile and so many basic human needs are unmet, the continued growth of global military expenditure is a serious concern.”

Archbishop El Kassis spoke during two committees of the General Assembly. The first regarded disarmament and international security, and the second was on the eradication of poverty and agricultural development, food security and nutrition.

Respect international commitments against nuclear weapons

Regarding the first topic, the Permanent Observer noted that we live in a period where “conflicts and divisions are poisoning international relations,” trust and dialogue are being weakened, and arms control and disarmament are coming under strain, as resources are increasingly used for military spending.

The nuclear landscape causes “profound concern,” he continued, noting also the dangerous use of integrating artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into nuclear-related systems.

“These developments further expose the flawed logic of nuclear deterrence as a security model,” he emphasized. “A system that relies on the credible threat of catastrophic destruction is vulnerable to escalation and miscalculation.”  

Given this context, Archbishop El Kassis stressed how the Holy See reiterates its appeal for legally binding instruments establishing clear prohibitions of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), regulating the development and the use of AI and ensuring accountability and protection for civilians and important infrastructure.

“Technological progress must always serve the human person and the common good, and must never diminish the moral responsibility that accompanies decisions over humans.”

The Holy See also calls for already existing international commitments to be respected, such as Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) or the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The Permanent Observer also pointed to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) as an urgent priority.

“Until then, existing moratoria on nuclear tests must be upheld, and the verification regime must be fully supported,” he insisted.

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Prevent the militarisation of outer space

Additionally, Archbishop El Kassis mentioned the devastating impact of conventional weapons and the impact they have on civilians.

“The illicit proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons fuels violence and instability, with grave consequences for persons and communities in vulnerable situations,” he said.

He also drew attention to the fact that emerging technologies are affecting other areas of international security, such as outer space.

“The Holy See therefore encourages renewed efforts to prevent the militarisation of outer space, ensuring that space activities are conducted responsibly and exclusively for peaceful purposes and the benefit of all humanity.”

He underlined that this same responsibility must guide the field of information and communications technology. 

Eradicating hunger means addressing underlying conditions

With regard to the topics of the second committee, the Permanent Observer underlined that “poverty is the greatest challenge facing our world today,” and one of its most “destructive consequences” is hunger and malnutrition.

“The situation is made even more unjust by the fact that, despite enough food being produced to feed everyone, hunger and starvation remain a daily reality for far too many people,” he said, pointing also to the amount of food that gets wasted across the world.

He insisted that eradicating hunger means addressing the underlying conditions that prevent people from accessing food such as “conflicts, climate change, unfair economic structures and inadequate infrastructures, particularly for smallholder farmers who are left without access to land, markets or a fair price for their labour.”

Another issue to keep in mind is “how collective resources and priorities are allocated,” Archbishop El Kassis said.

“It is essential that the international community places human dignity at the centre of its work,” he concluded. “This means translating commitments on poverty eradication and food security into the political will and allocating the resources needed to reach those most in need.”