The failure of nuclear-armed nations to disarm has heightened the risk that more nations, or even non-state actors, will one day acquire nuclear weapons. Achieving progress in disarmament is essential to preventing their spread.

While important measures are in place to guard against proliferation, the effectiveness of these measures cannot be guaranteed. Any nation capable of enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel to produce plutonium could, in theory, develop a nuclear weapon in a matter of months.

South Africa, Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea all acquired nuclear weapons using facilities and materials that were ostensibly for “peaceful purposes”, underscoring the proliferation risks inherent in nuclear power programmes.

Just a few kilograms of highly enriched uranium or separated plutonium would be enough to produce one nuclear bomb. Today, hundreds of tonnes of these materials exist in global stockpiles, with more being produced. For disarmament to succeed, this problem must be addressed.