The 65th session of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) convened in Vienna, Austria from November 10-12.

The meeting reviewed reports from the Executive Secretary on treaty implementation, activities of the International Monitoring System (IMS), the Global Communications Infrastructure (GCI), and the International Data Centre (IDC), as well as budget, governance, and resource issues to ensure CTBTO operations stay on track.

The session was attended by CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd and representatives from 80 member states. Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna (Austria), led the Vietnamese delegation and delivered a statement at the session.

In his opening remarks, Floyd emphasized that the current complex geopolitical landscape and intense great-power competition demand the international community continue to reaffirm its commitment to preventing all nuclear tests and maintaining CTBT’s global monitoring system.

The session also reviewed the CTBTO’s 2026–2027 program and budget, which have been adjusted to increase efficiency and minimize costs while prioritizing resources to sustain the IMS and enhance the IDC’s data analysis capabilities. Floyd cautioned that budget cuts or delays could increase operational risks for the IMS, compromise data quality, and limit future responsiveness. He called on member states to contribute fully and on time and suggested using a portion of the 2022-2023 budget to support the IMS.

In his remarks, Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang reiterated Vietnam’s strong support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), describing it as a key pillar of global disarmament and non-proliferation. He affirmed Vietnam’s consistent stance in favor of the peaceful use of nuclear energy in compliance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safety standards.

The ambassador highlighted Vietnam’s upcoming role as Chair of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT RevCon 2026) in New York and committed to promoting balance, building consensus, and linking NPT processes with complementary mechanisms such as the CTBT. Vietnam’s designated chair will consult with regional groups in Vienna on November 24-25.

Ambassador Hoang also referenced Executive Secretary Floyd’s visit to Vietnam and participation in the East Asia regional workshop on National Data Centres (NDC) organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology in August 2025. The visit contributed to enhancing Vietnam’s technical capacity and advancing regional cooperation in CTBT monitoring and verification.

He stressed that technical support programs, training, and capacity-building could be directly affected if CTBTO budgets are reduced. He urged that cost-saving measures should not disrupt these support activities, particularly for developing countries.

The ambassador further emphasized Vietnam’s commitment to close coordination with the CTBTO and member states to promote multilateralism, ensure geographic balance, increase participation of women and youth, and contribute to the shared goal of a world free of nuclear testing.

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