Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng speaks at the roundtable discussion at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photos

NEW YORK — Việt Nam chaired a roundtable discussion at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York on Wednesday, on the occasion of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

The event, themed “Atoms for Development: Technology, Capacity and Financing for Nuclear Applications in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, was co-sponsored by Japan, the Philippines, Belgium, South Africa, Senegal, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Guatemala. More than 100 participants, including representatives of NPT member states and international organisations in the field of nuclear energy, were present.

In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the 11th NPT Review Conference, highlighted the significant contributions of nuclear energy to various areas such as health care, agriculture, industry, food security, energy security and climate change adaptation.

She cited Việt Nam’s practical achievements in medical imaging, cancer screening and treatment, and pest control in agricultural products.

The Vietnamese representative noted that developing countries continue to face constraints in infrastructure, technical capacity and sustainable financing, alongside the risk of being left behind. She stressed the need to ensure equity and improve access to nuclear applications for countries of the Global South.

Hằng called for strengthened international cooperation in nuclear applications, with a focus on capacity-building, training, technology transfer and mobilisation of sustainable financial resources to support long-term development goals.

She underscored that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) should play a central coordinating role in promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy while enhancing partnerships with international financial institutions and development partners, as well as South–South and trilateral cooperation frameworks.

The event is themed “Atoms for Development: Technology, Capacity and Financing for Nuclear Applications in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

An IAEA representative proposed new approaches within the NPT framework and introduced the agency’s technical cooperation programme. Japan outlined efforts to expand international cooperation and support capacity-building in developing countries. Finland emphasised the need to improve access to finance and technology, noting that small modular reactors (SMRs) could offer suitable solutions for developing economies.

Meanwhile, representatives from co-sponsoring countries, including Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, the Philippines, Senegal and Guatemala, along with other participants, reaffirmed the practical role of peaceful nuclear applications in promoting sustainable development.

They expressed a wish for more favourable conditions to access technology, enhance capacity and mobilise financial resources, ensuring affordable investment in nuclear energy for developing countries.

Participants also commended Việt Nam’s initiative in hosting the event.

The roundtable helped highlight the pillar of peaceful use of nuclear energy within the NPT, underscoring its integral role in maintaining the treaty’s balance and effectiveness. Discussions conveyed a consistent message that if responsibly governed and equitably accessed, nuclear technology can serve as an important driver of inclusive growth, innovation and the achievement of the SDGs.

On the sidelines of the conference, Deputy Foreign Minister Hằng and the Vietnamese delegation held meetings with IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, UN Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu, and senior officials from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Finland, Poland, Norway, Sweden, Latvia and Australia.

At these meetings, the parties discussed measures to strengthen bilateral and multilateral relations. Hằng reaffirmed the importance of multilateralism and the responsibility of NPT member states to uphold commitments across the treaty’s three pillars – non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Partners spoke highly of Việt Nam’s dynamic development, affirmed its role as an important partner in the region, and expressed their hope to further enhance political – diplomatic ties and improve the effectiveness of cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, renewable energy and sustainable development.

They also congratulated Việt Nam on its role as President of the 11th NPT Review Conference and pledged continued support for the conference’s overall success. — VNA/VNS