The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Nigeria formally assumed the Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament (CD) on May 26, 2026, marking another significant milestone in the country’s contribution to global peace, international security, and multilateral diplomacy.
According to the Ministry, the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, approved two major thematic priorities to guide Nigeria’s Presidency of the Conference.
The first priority focuses on “Effective International Arrangements to Assure Non-Nuclear-Weapon States Against the Use or Threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons,” also known as Negative Security Assurances.
The Ministry stated that the theme reflects Nigeria’s longstanding commitment to global peace, nuclear disarmament, and the protection of non-nuclear-weapon states. It also aligns with the country’s foreign policy objective of promoting a rules-based international order while advancing the Democracy pillar of Nigeria’s 4D foreign policy agenda through the promotion of equal security and justice for all nations.
The second thematic priority is “Improved and Effective Functioning of the Conference on Disarmament,” aimed at revitalizing the world’s sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum.
According to the Ministry, the objective is to strengthen the effectiveness, relevance, and responsiveness of the Conference on Disarmament through constructive multilateral engagement.
The initiative also supports the Development and Demography pillars of Nigeria’s 4D foreign policy framework, recognizing that a more effective global disarmament system contributes to international stability, sustainable development, and a safer future for coming generations.
Nigeria expressed optimism about working closely with all member states in a spirit of dialogue, cooperation, and consensus-building throughout its Presidency of the Conference on Disarmament.