26 May, 2025
IPPNW-GLO is happy to share a great success with you! The World Health Assembly resolution calling for an updated assessment of the “Effects of Nuclear War on Public Health” was approved by a margin of 84-14 votes with 28 abstentions.
It was sponsored by a dozen nations, including Western Pacific, African and former Soviet states that were deeply affected by nuclear tests of the 1950s and 60s, while opposition was led by the Russian Federation along with (DPRK) North Korea.
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IPPNW Statement – Resolution, “Effects of Nuclear War on Public Health,” delivered by Prof. Sir Andrew Haines, 26 May, 2025
“International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985, firmly believes the health imperative to avoid nuclear war is as urgent as it has ever been.
The World Health Assembly, considering WHO’s 1983 and 1987 reports, concluded unanimously that nuclear weapons constitute the greatest immediate threat to the health and welfare of humankind.
New developments since the last report reinforce the need to re-establish WHO’s mandate to provide authoritative and current evidence on this risk to human survival and the stability of Earth systems.
We strongly support the resolution “Effects of Nuclear War on Public Health” and congratulate sponsoring states.
134 medical journals worldwide have just published a joint editorial strongly endorsing the resolution before you. We urge delegations to approve this vital proposal.”
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Countries voting yes:
Dominican Republic, Guyana, Algeria, Maldives, Burkina Faso, Bahamas, Tajikistan, Thailand, Brazil, Cuba, Paraguay, Malta, Kiribati, Nauru, Philippines, Iraq, Marshall Islands, Angola, San Marino, Ghana, Tuvalu, Ireland, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Brunei Darussalam, Honduras, Mozambique, Eswatini, Cyprus, Libya, Oman, Bahrain, Benin, Japan, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Andorra, Chile, Eritrea, Mongolia, Ukraine, Uruguay, Malawi, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Central African Republic, Micronesia (F.S.), El Salvador, Liberia, Lesotho, Gambia, Fiji, Chad, Barbados, Costa Rica, Qatar, Samoa, Kuwait, Tunisia, Jordan, Nigeria, Nepal, Ethiopia, Republic of Korea, Panama, New Zealand, Guatemala, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Congo, Kyrgyzstan, Colombia, Jamaica, Iran (I.R.), Bangladesh, Austria, Namibia, South Africa, Vanuatu, Peru, Singapore
Countries voting no:
North Macedonia, Poland, Hungary, DPR Korea, Czech Republic, Monaco, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russian Federation
Countries abstaining:
Luxembourg, Israel, Belarus, Albania, Portugal, Croatia, Montenegro, Morocco, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Turkiye, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Serbia, Spain, Pakistan, India, Slovenia, Denmark, Netherlands, China, Canada, Georgia, Belgium, Republic of Moldova, Iceland