Wednesday 02 / September / 2026
New York — The Sultanate of Oman today chaired the third meeting of the Working Committee for the seventh session of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The meeting will continue through September 3.
The meeting is chaired by Omar bin Said Al Kathiri, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations and President of the seventh session of the Conference.
The meeting forms part of Oman’s preparations for the next session of the Conference, scheduled to take place in New York from November 16 to 20.
The conference provides a UN-backed negotiating platform for countries of the Middle East to work towards establishing a treaty creating a region free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, with the aim of strengthening regional and international security and stability.
Discussions at the current meeting are focusing on key issues concerning the possible structure of the future treaty and mechanisms for implementing its provisions. Participants are examining institutional arrangements for monitoring implementation and cooperation among states parties, as well as the relationship between the proposed treaty and existing international agreements on disarmament and non-proliferation.
The discussions also draw on experiences from other regions that have established nuclear-weapon-free zones, alongside legal and technical expertise from specialists participating in the meeting. These experiences are expected to help regional countries assess possible approaches for negotiating a treaty tailored to the Middle East.
In its national statement, Oman stressed the importance of maintaining cooperation and consensus among member states. It noted that meetings held during the current year had contributed to strengthening common understanding of issues related to the future treaty and to benefiting from relevant international experiences and expertise.
The meeting is part of a series of preparatory sessions held by the Working Committee during Oman’s presidency of the seventh session. The meetings provide an opportunity for technical and substantive dialogue ahead of the November conference and seek to build common ground to advance negotiations.
Through its presidency, Oman continues to work with member states and the United Nations to bridge differences, promote dialogue and consensus, and support efforts to establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
