Oman 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 continues until 3 September, 2026.

The Chair of the meeting was Omar Said Omar Alkathiri, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman to the United Nations in New York and President of the seventh session of the Conference. It forms part of the preparations led by Oman for the upcoming session of the Conference, scheduled to take place in New York from 16 to 20 November, 2026.

The Conference is a negotiating process that brings together the countries of the region under the auspices of the United Nations. It aims to reach a treaty establishing a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, contributing to regional and international security and stability.

The current meeting is discussing a number of important issues related to the possible form of the future treaty and mechanisms for its implementation. Discussions focus on the institutional arrangements that the treaty may require to oversee the implementation of its provisions and cooperation among States Parties. They also address the relationship between the future treaty and existing international agreements in the fields of disarmament and non-proliferation to ensure complementarity and avoid duplication of obligations.

Participants are drawing on the experiences of other regions of the world that have already established nuclear-weapon-free zones, as well as the legal and technical expertise of specialists participating in the meeting. This will help the countries of the region identify options and experiences that may be useful in negotiating a treaty for the Middle East.

In its national statement before the meeting, Oman affirmed the importance of continuing to work in a spirit of cooperation and consensus among Member States. It noted that the meetings held during the current year have contributed to deepening a shared understanding of a number of issues related to the future treaty and to benefiting from relevant international expertise and experience.

The meeting forms part of a series of preparatory meetings held by the Working Committee during Oman’s presidency of the seventh session. These meetings aim to provide space for technical and substantive dialogue among Member States ahead of the Conference in November and to help build common ground that can contribute to progress in the negotiations.

Through its presidency of the seventh session of the Conference, Oman continues its efforts in cooperation with Member States and the United Nations to bring views closer together and promote dialogue and consensus, supporting efforts to achieve the shared goal of establishing a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.