The Holy See demanded, in the city of Vienna, global renunciation of atomic weaponry proliferation and absolute protection of nuclear installations in wartime contexts. The appeal was launched by Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary of the Vatican for Relations with States, during his intervention at the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The diplomatic representative stressed that the destruction of nuclear infrastructure can cause radioactive releases with serious humanitarian and environmental consequences that extend far beyond the borders of the country hit. Gallagher warned that attacks on nuclear facilities should never occur and recalled that the right to peaceful use of atomic technology is linked to the obligation of non-nuclear-weapon states to commit to not acquiring such weapons.
The intervention invoked the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster to call for responsible approaches in uranium extraction and radioactive waste management. The official also addressed the integration of artificial intelligence in the atomic sector, demanding effective human oversight and rigorous international safety standards.
Gallagher cited Pope Leo XIV's encyclical 'Magnifica Humanitas' to warn that humanity risks allowing a succession of emergencies to dictate the direction of the global path. The 70th General Conference of the IAEA is taking place in Vienna until September 18.
