(MENAFN) The Vatican’s permanent observer to the UN cautioned on Saturday that the accelerating global arms buildup is endangering world peace and undermining the foundations of international trust and cooperation, according to reports.

Archbishop Gabriele Caccia called on global leaders to renew their commitment to disarmament and reinvigorate multilateral dialogue to secure humanity’s future during his address to the General Debate of the First Committee of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York.

The archbishop stressed that the “spirit of diplomacy and multilateralism” that once protected humanity from the devastation of war is increasingly being replaced by “the perilous resurgence of force and fear as ways to resolve disputes.” He added that the decline in trust and dialogue is weakening international cooperation and worsening the suffering of vulnerable populations worldwide.

Caccia voiced particular concern over renewed discussions about nuclear weapons and the expansion of nuclear stockpiles. He denounced what he described as a “new arms race” fueled by the integration of AI into military systems and the spread of competition into outer space, warning that these trends represent an “unprecedented danger to humanity.”

Addressing emerging technologies, he highlighted the threat posed by lethal autonomous weapons systems and urged member states to back UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for a legally binding treaty to ban such weapons by 2026.

MENAFN19102025000045017281ID1110216343