Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to global disarmament, advocating for legally binding Negative Security Assurances for non-nuclear states and the establishment of Nuclear Weapon-Free Zones, particularly in the Middle East.
Speaking at the High-Level Segment of the Conference on Disarmament during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), he emphasized the need to restore trust in multilateral processes amid growing geopolitical tensions.
Highlighting Sri Lanka’s dedication to disarmament, he cited the nation’s accession to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 2023.
Expressing concern over emerging threats, including AI-driven weaponry and the militarization of outer space, he called for a legally binding instrument to ban lethal autonomous weapons systems and prevent an arms race beyond Earth.
