Vienna (VNA) – Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna, has reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent stance of supporting countries in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, alongside strict compliance with safety measures and the standards set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Addressing the 65th session of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) in Vienna, Austria from November 10-12, Hoang affirmed that Vietnam strongly supports the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), saying it is an important pillar of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime.
Vietnam’s upcoming role as Chair of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT RevCon 2026) in New York and committed to promoting balance, building consensus, and linking NPT processes with complementary mechanisms such as the CTBT, he stated.
Vietnam’s designated chair will consult with regional groups in Vienna on November 24-25, he noted.
Hoang also mentioned CTBTO Executive Secretary Floyd's visit to Vietnam and participation in the East Asia regional workshop on National Data Centres (NDC) held by the Ministry of Science and Technology in August 2025. The visit contributed to enhancing Vietnam’s technical capacity and advancing regional cooperation in CTBT monitoring and verification.
He stressed that technical support, training, and capacity-building programmes could be directly affected if CTBTO budgets are reduced. He urged that cost-saving measures should not disrupt these support activities, particularly for developing countries.
The ambassador further stressed Vietnam’s commitment to close coordination with the CTBTO and member states to promote multilateralism, ensure geographic balance, increase participation of women and youth, and contribute to the shared goal of a world free of nuclear testing.
The meeting reviewed reports from the Executive Secretary on treaty implementation, activities of the International Monitoring System (IMS), the Global Communications Infrastructure (GCI), and the International Data Centre (IDC), as well as budget, governance, and resource issues to ensure CTBTO operations stay on track.
In his opening remarks, CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd stressed that the current complex geopolitical landscape and intense great power competition require the international community to continue affirming its commitment to preventing all nuclear tests and maintaining the CTBT’s global monitoring system.
The session also reviewed the CTBTO’s 2026-2027 programme and budget, which have been adjusted to increase efficiency and minimise costs while prioritising resources to sustain the IMS and enhance the IDC’s data analysis capabilities.
Floyd cautioned that budget cuts or delays could increase operational risks for the IMS, compromise data quality, and limit future responsiveness. He called on member states to contribute fully and on time and suggested using a portion of the 2022-2023 budget to support the IMS./.
