United States Mission to the United Nations
John Kelley
Acting U.S. Representative
New York, New York
August 6, 2025
AS DELIVERED
Thank you, Mr. President. The United States expresses its gratitude to you, Mr. President, for your exceptional leadership as Chair of the 1540 Committee. Despite challenging circumstances, including the absence of a formal Program of Work, you have shown unwavering commitment to advancing the Committee’s mission. And we thank you for that.
Your efforts have been instrumental in resuming the Committee’s work mid-year and ensuring UN Security Council Resolution 1540 remains the cornerstone of global efforts to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by and to non-state actors, including terrorist groups.
The United States is pleased to note positive developments within the Committee. In 2024, the Committee finalized the Assistance Procedures document, establishing effective internal procedures that clarify the roles of all stakeholders coordinating assistance. This marks a significant step forward in ensuring Member States can access the support they need to fulfill their obligations under 1540.
Additionally, the Committee co-organized two national points of contact training courses in the Asia-Pacific region and Africa, resuming these efforts after a two-year hiatus and strengthening national implementation of the Resolution.
However, these successes are overshadowed by persistent obstructionism, which threatens the Committee’s ability to fulfill its mandate.
This obstruction prevents valuable lessons learned from reaching Member States and international organizations working to implement UNSCR 1540.
Furthermore, the Russian Federation has hindered the participation of the Group of Experts in 1540-related events, trainings, and conferences, particularly those sponsored by Western countries or addressing sensitive topics such as synthetic pathogen development or chemical weapons investigations.
The Russian Federation also recently objected to the participation of a 1540 Committee expert in the Stakeholder Forum on National Implementation of the BWC, despite significant overlap between 1540’s and the BWC’s objectives. These events are crucial for States seeking to better understand and fulfill their 1540 obligations.
China has also complicated the Committee’s work and prevented the Committee from achieving consensus on the 2025 Program of Work through its promotion of a false narrative regarding the impact of nonproliferation export controls on commercial trade.
This misleading campaign undermines the legitimacy of multilateral nonproliferation-related export control regimes and spreads disinformation to developing countries about export controls.
We must ensure Member States understand the obligations established in Resolution 1540 enable high-tech global trade and development while still combatting WMD proliferation. These obligations provide the ideal framework for safe and secure trade.
The United States calls on all Committee members to reinitiate the collaborative approach that characterized the adoption of Resolution 1540 in 2004. It is imperative obstruction by certain Security Council members ceases so that the Committee can make meaningful progress in combating WMD proliferation. The strategic environment demands nothing less.
In closing, Mr. President, the United States reaffirms its commitment to supporting the 1540 Committee and its Group of Experts. We will continue advocating for the completion of technical guides, and the assessment of implementation within various areas of the Resolution.
Together, we can ensure Resolution 1540 is fully implemented, safeguarding global security and preventing the catastrophic consequences of WMD proliferation.
Thank you, Mr. President.