Nuclear weapons remain clear, present danger to humanity: UN chief

By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN chief Antonio Guterres on Friday congratulated Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo for receiving the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, and stressed the "clear and present danger" of nuclear weapons for humanity.

"The atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, also known as the hibakusha, are selfless, soul-bearing witnesses of the horrific human cost of nuclear weapons," Guterres said in a statement, congratulating Hidankyo.

Noting the "relentless work and resilience of the hibakusha" in the global nuclear disarmament movement, Guterres said: "Their haunting living testimony reminds the world that the nuclear threat is not confined to history books."

"Nuclear weapons remain a clear and present danger to humanity, once again appearing in the daily rhetoric of international relations," he added.

Guterres called on world leaders to view nuclear weapons as "devices of death that offer no safety, protection, or security."

He stressed that the only way to eliminate the nuclear threat is through the complete elimination of these weapons.

UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said during a news conference that one of the UN's primary goals is to prevent the use of nuclear weapons in conflicts.

Haq stated that nuclear weapons are the "most destructive" weapons in human history, which is why efforts are being made to prevent their use.