By Busayo Onijala
The United Nations has warned that nuclear tests do not demonstrate strength, but instead erode trust, trigger arms races, and leave devastating humanitarian and environmental consequences for generations.
The UN gave the warning at a hybrid event on Wednesday in commemoration of the 2026 International Day against Nuclear Tests.
The event had the theme, “Humanitarian and Ecological Consequences of Nuclear Weapons Use and Testing”.
It was organised by the UN Office in Nairobi (UNON), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Kenya.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the day is observed annually on Aug. 29 in accordance with the UN General Assembly Resolution 64/35 of the Dec. 2, 2009.
The event also marked the 35th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.
Also, it marked the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the 20th anniversary of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia.
One of the speakers, Mr Barlybay Sadykov, recalled that on Aug. 29, 1991, Kazakhstan took a decision that would become a defining moment in the country’s history.
Sadykov, who is the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Kenya, said also that the decision was an important milestone in the global struggle against nuclear testing.
According to him, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 have become one of the greatest tragedies in human history.
‘’The pain and suffering experienced by the people of Japan are deeply understood.
‘’For humanity, they are a permanent reminder of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons use, ‘’ he said.
He said the humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear testing in Kazakhstan were catastrophic.
“The Semipalatinsk test site covered 18,000 square kilometers, an area profoundly affected by radioactive contamination.
“Approximately 1.5 million people were exposed to high levels of radiation, with consequences that have continued to affect generations.
“The impact has been felt through increased health problems, congenital birth defects, and the long-term psychological and social consequences of living with the legacy of nuclear testing,” the ambassador said.
He said the environmental consequences had also been profound including contamination of soil, restrictions on land use, and the need for long-term monitoring of radioactive pathways in water.
Another consequence, he said, was the continuing risk of radioactive particles being transported by wind and entering the food chain through plants and animals.
“Humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear testing remind us of a shared responsibility of states to prevent such tragedies from ever recurring, ” Sadykov said.
He called on all countries to unite in strengthening international efforts to prevent further nuclear testing and to advance the cause of nuclear disarmament.
Also, the Ambassador of Japan to Kenya, Hiroshi Matsuura, described Kazakhstan’s decision to close the Semipalatinsk test site permanently 35 years ago as an act of extraordinary courage.
He said, in retrospect, the bombs used at Hiroshima and Nagasaki were very limited in their capacity.
According to him, their lethal capacity was as small as just a couple of 10,000 of the capacity of today’s single bomb.
“The launching speed was zero; the stealth ability was zero because they were just bombs dropped out from the bomber aircrafts. Still, they managed to kill hundreds of thousands of people.
“Since that attack, the human kind have learned that we cannot use nuclear weapons at all.
“You do not need special imagination to understand that the attacks and counterattacks, revenge attacks, using today’s hyper powerful nuclear weapons are a sure and instant way to destroy the whole mankind and the civilization.”
On her part, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, Ms Anacláudia Rossbach, said the cost of nuclear testing and nuclear weapons use was measured not only in explosions.
She said, instead, it was measured in poisoned land, water and ecosystems, as well as generations of disrupted settlement, displacement, and recovery.
Rossbach said UN-Habtat stood ready to continue working with member states and communities, so that recovery from catastrophe was measured in dignity, safety, and sustainable homes for all.
In her remarks, UNON Director-General Zainab Hawa Bangura said the commemorative event served as a reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear testings and lessons humanity had learned through bitter experiences. (NAN)