Egypt voices concern over failure to reach consensus on NPT review conference

CAIRO - 26 May 2026: Egypt expressed its regret over the missed opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to implementing the objectives of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) during the Eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty, which was held from April 27 to May 22, 2026, in New York.

The conference concluded without agreement on a final document, despite the intensive efforts made by participating states and the work of the conference president to bridge different positions and reach consensus.

Egypt affirmed, in a statement issued on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that the outcomes of previous review conferences remain in effect, foremost among them the resolution establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

This resolution was adopted by the 1995 NPT Review and Extension Conference as a central element of the bargain that enabled the treaty’s indefinite extension.

Egypt further emphasized the central role of the NPT in maintaining and strengthening international security since its adoption in 1968, calling for the universalization of the treaty through the accession of non-parties, particularly in the Middle East, as non-nuclear-weapon states.

It noted that this issue received the support of all states participating in the recent Review Conference.

Egypt continues to call on nuclear-weapon states to take serious and practical steps toward fulfilling their obligations under the Treaty regarding nuclear disarmament, stressing that the implementation of the NPT remains incomplete without achieving this noble goal, which would spare humanity the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons use.