New York, May 1, 2026 – The Europe Today: Vietnam chaired a high-level roundtable discussion at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), highlighting the role of nuclear technology in advancing sustainable development.
The event, themed “Atoms for Development: Technology, Capacity and Financing for Nuclear Applications in Support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, was co-sponsored by several countries, including Japan, the Philippines, Belgium, South Africa, Senegal, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Guatemala. It brought together more than 100 participants from NPT member states and international organisations engaged in nuclear energy cooperation.
In her opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Thị Thu Hằng, head of the Vietnamese delegation to the conference, underscored the growing importance of nuclear energy in sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, industry, food security, energy security and climate change adaptation.
She highlighted Việt Nam’s progress in applying nuclear technologies for medical imaging, cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as agricultural pest control, noting these as practical contributions to national development.
The Vietnamese official also pointed to persistent challenges faced by developing countries, including limited infrastructure, insufficient technical capacity and constrained access to sustainable financing. She stressed the importance of ensuring equitable access to nuclear applications, particularly for countries in the Global South.
Calling for enhanced global cooperation, Hằng emphasized the need for increased capacity-building, training, technology transfer and the mobilisation of sustainable financial resources to support long-term development goals. She further highlighted the central coordinating role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy and strengthening partnerships with financial institutions and development partners.
During the session, an IAEA representative introduced new approaches within the NPT framework and outlined the agency’s technical cooperation programmes. Japan shared its initiatives to expand international collaboration and support capacity-building efforts, while Finland highlighted the potential of small modular reactors (SMRs) as viable solutions for developing economies.
Representatives from co-sponsoring countries and other participants reaffirmed the significance of peaceful nuclear applications in advancing sustainable development. They called for improved access to technology, enhanced capacity and greater financial support to ensure affordable and inclusive nuclear energy development.
Participants also commended Việt Nam’s leadership in hosting the roundtable, noting that the discussion reinforced the importance of the peaceful use pillar within the NPT framework and its role in maintaining the treaty’s overall balance and effectiveness.
On the sidelines of the conference, Deputy Minister Hằng held bilateral meetings with key international figures, including IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and UN Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu, as well as senior officials from multiple countries.
Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, with Việt Nam reaffirming its commitment to multilateralism and the implementation of the NPT’s three core pillars—non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear energy.
International partners praised Việt Nam’s dynamic development and growing regional role, expressing interest in expanding cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, renewable energy and sustainable development. They also congratulated the country on its presidency of the 11th NPT Review Conference and pledged support for its successful outcome.
