The Permanent Observer at the UN in New York intervenes at the General Assembly to reiterate the Holy See’s concern about the effects of ionizing radiation and the fate of the Zaporizhzhia and Kursk power plants. Appeal to the international community: reduce the debt of the most disadvantaged countries
By: Vatican News
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If the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were to become a target of the fighting, it would pose a threat to the environment, endangering the health and safety of nearby populations. This is why the Holy See “strongly urges the ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)”.
The importance of treaties
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Permanent Observer of the Holy See at the United Nations in New York, intervenes at the UN General Assembly on the effects of atomic radiation to reiterate the Vatican’s alarm about the “significant risk of an uncontrolled release of ionizing radiation” regarding the Ukrainian and Russian nuclear power plants. This situation, explains Caccia, “requires urgent attention and action to mitigate the risks associated with nuclear facilities in conflict zones, ensuring that the safety of people and our common home is a priority”. The TPNW and CTBT treaties are therefore “essential tools to prevent and reduce exposure to harmful radiation, safeguard our common environment, and protect innocent victims from the effects of atomic radiation”.
Appeal to states
The prelate therefore urges states to implement policies that take into account “the potential negative consequences for health and the environment” resulting from “the use and testing of nuclear explosives, particularly on women, children, unborn babies, and indigenous populations”. At the same time, he stresses the importance of considering the significant study conducted by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation “to provide assistance to victims and facilitate environmental cleanup”.
Reducing debt for struggling countries
Also at the 79th UN General Assembly, the Vatican representative addresses the international community to call on behalf of the Holy See for “decisive action on debt reduction” for countries facing special circumstances, such as the least developed, landlocked developing countries, or small island developing states, which are struggling to pursue “sustainable development and ensure a prosperous future for their populations”. This will serve to “protect the human dignity of all, promote growth and build resilience, and ensure that no country is held back by the burden of debt” but can instead “invest in poverty elimination and other fundamental pillars of integral human development”.
