Monday, 12 October 2026
Presenter: H.E.JayanthaJayasuriya
Location: New York
Statement by H.E. Jayantha Jayasuriya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations
First Committee
81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly
Mr. Chair,
Allow me to congratulate you and the other members of the Bureau on your election. Sri Lanka assures you of its full support and looks forward to a constructive session.
My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and wishes to add the following remarks in our national capacity.
Mr. Chair,
The effects of conflict are not confined to its territorial bounds. While the human cost is heavier in places affected by conflict, its effects often transcend boundaries and affect the lives of people around the world, particularly in developing countries.
Sri Lanka has continued to experience this first hand when turmoil elsewhere in the world causes higher costs of fuel and fertilizer, higher shipping and transport costs, eventually leading to increased cost of living for the people.
This makes the work before this Committee all the more urgent. Whether we are discussing conventional arms, weapons of mass destruction or new technologies – the risks created by conflict and militarization concern us all.
Mr. Chair,
Nowhere is this shared risk clearer than in the nuclear field.
The Eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ended without consensus on a substantive outcome document, following two previous failures. And nuclear arsenals continue to be modernized, while the role assigned to nuclear weapons in security doctrines remains deeply worrisome.
Sri Lanka is deeply concerned by these developments. They underscore the need to strengthen multilateral cooperation.
As a State Party to the NPT, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, Sri Lanka remains convinced that the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is their total elimination. Until that goal is achieved, tangible steps to reduce nuclear risks are urgently needed, including through dialogue, arms control and fulfilment of disarmament obligations.
Sri Lanka is also concerned by the prospect of artificial intelligence being integrated into nuclear command, control, and communications. Decisions carrying such grave consequences must remain firmly subject to human judgment and responsibility.
We look forward to the first Review Conference of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons later this year and to engaging constructively towards the shared objective of a world without nuclear weapons.
At the same time, we reaffirm the right of every State to the peaceful use of nuclear science and technology, without discrimination and in accordance with IAEA safeguards. Nuclear technology can improve lives through peaceful applications in medicine, agriculture, and other fields.
Mr. Chair,
Our work on other weapons of mass destruction remains just as important.
The verified destruction of all declared chemical weapons stockpiles stands as a major achievement of multilateral disarmament. It should give us confidence in what dedicated cooperation and effective verification can accomplish. But the failure of the last two Review Conferences of the Chemical Weapons Convention to agree on outcome documents reminds us that past achievements must not be taken for granted.
The Biological Weapons Convention, meanwhile, still lacks an effective verification system. Sri Lanka continues to support the resumption of multilateral negotiations toward a non-discriminatory and legally binding mechanism that strengthens the Convention in a balanced and comprehensive manner.
Mr. Chair,
Sri Lanka has long recognized outer space as the common heritage of humanity and we supports further work toward a legally binding instrument to prevent an arms race in outer space.
Space technology helps us forecast weather, prepare for disasters, monitor climate change, and connects people across the world. These benefits must remain accessible to all States on an equitable basis and must not be placed at risk by competition or conflict in outer space.
For many communities, however, the most immediate dangers still come from conventional weapons.
Sri Lanka is always cited as a success story in humanitarian demining due to its commitment to stockpile destruction, gender-responsive victim assistance, risk education, and mine clearance. Sri Lanka’s mine action strategy is aimed at achieving a mine-free country in the coming years.
As a country that has fulfilled its obligations under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Sri Lanka is committed to supporting its universalization and achieving a cluster munitions free world.
For us, these commitments have a practical meaning. Mine clearance returns land to communities and allows people to move safely through places once marked by conflict.
This is why disarmament is so important – it allows people to lead their lives free from the fear of weapons.
The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons likewise continues to fuel conflict and instability. Sri Lanka welcomes the work undertaken at the Ninth Biennial Meeting of States this year and supports stronger international cooperation and assistance, particularly for developing countries implementing the Program of Action.
Mr. Chair,
Technology is changing the security landscape faster than the international community has been able to respond.
Sri Lanka welcomes the commencement of the United Nations Global Mechanism on developments in the field of information and communications technologies in the context of international security. We hope it will remain an inclusive forum for all States to address threats in cyberspace, build capacity, and advance responsible State behavior.
We remain concerned by lethal autonomous weapons systems and support the pursuit of a legally binding instrument on them. International humanitarian law applies fully, regardless of the technology through which force is delivered. As AI becomes more capable, human judgment and control must remain clear throughout the life cycle of the weapon. We welcome the renewed call by the UN Secretary General and the President of the ICRC to commence the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on lethal autonomous weapons systems.
At the same time, efforts must be doubled to address rapidly developing military applications of artificial intelligence.
Mr. Chair,
I began this statement by noting a simple reality: conflict does not remain confined to the place where it is fought.
That is why the work of disarmament matters equally to all of us living in different parts of the world. Reducing nuclear risks, clearing minefields, stockpile destructions, engaging in multilateral discussions on verification protocols, or negotiating new rules for emerging technologies may each seem like small steps to address the challenges before us. Yet each of them makes the world a little less dangerous.
Sri Lanka takes note of the differences among States represented in this room. But those differences should not prevent us from working together where common ground can be found. Irrespective of these differences, I am confident that we all agree on our shared goal of securing a peaceful world for future generations.
My delegation stands ready to work constructively with all members of this Committee towards that end.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.