Humanity hoped that the 21st century would herald a new era of global cooperation. This, however, may turn out to be a mirage.

Our world is once again in danger and the risks cannot be underestimated. The threat is a deadly war on a global scale.

Our civilisation, by scholars’ estimates, survived more than 15,000 wars, approximately three every year. Hundreds of millions of people died, cities and countries were destroyed, cultures and civilisations vanished.

At the dawn of the 21st century, stunning scientific discoveries are being made and new technologies are being invented. The world is on the verge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Many horrific diseases are being successfully eradicated, but the virus of war continues to poison the international situation.

It drives the military-industrial complex, which in some countries has become the most powerful sector of the economy. In the future, it may even infect the development of artificial intelligence.

Militarism has deeply penetrated our minds and behaviour. There are more than 1 billion small firearms in the hands of people. Thousands of civilians die every day from their use.

We cannot exclude the risk that this military threat could become a tragic reality on a global scale. We can see the signs of such a terrible outcome.

In international relations, the risk of conflict has increased. The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is not fulfilling its purpose. 

Nuclear weapons and the technology that produces them have spread all over the world due to the double standards of the main powers. It may be just a matter of time before they fall into the hands of terrorists.

International terrorism has gained a more sinister character. It has moved from isolated acts in individual countries to large-scale terrorist aggression across Europe, Asia and Africa.

The exodus of millions of refugees, the destruction of sites and historic monuments have become an everyday reality.

Economic sanctions and trade wars are commonplace.

Our planet is now on the edge of a new Cold War that could have devastating consequences for all humankind. 

This threatens the achievements of the last four decades.

As a result of successful negotiations, the nuclear arsenals of the United States and Russia have been reduced substantially. Five nuclear powers have announced and kept a moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.

The process of forming regional security systems has accelerated. 

A unique and comprehensive security structure — the Organisation of Security and Cooperation in Europe — was created on mutual trust. Coordinated action between world powers and UN peacekeeping operations helped end many conflicts.

However, today we are witnessing the erosion of these international security achievements. 

This is a serious concern for millions of people.

How will the world situation develop? Could the tensions between the leading world powers escalate to a new long-term confrontation?

Which country could be the next victim of the so-called “proxy-wars” between the world and regional powers?

Which territory, flourishing for now, will be torn apart by tank tracks and explosive shells? In which cities will children die under heavy rocket fire?

From where and where to will the refugees fleeing conflicts migrate next?

More than 60 years ago, two prominent scientists, Albert Einstein and Bertrand Russell, presented their manifesto, in which they asked “a dreadful but an inescapable question: shall we put an end to the human race, or will mankind be able to renounce war”?

The most brilliant minds of the 20th century have warned that in a future world war, nuclear weapons will inevitably be used, leading to the destruction of all life on our planet.

Their demand that disputes between countries cannot and should not be resolved by military means remains hugely relevant in the 21st century.

The most challenging task for our civilisation is to end all wars. There is no other reasonable alternative.

This task has to be treated by the world leaders as the highest priority on the global agenda. In the 21st century, humanity must take decisive steps towards demilitarisation.

We need a new comprehensive programme, “21st century: a world without wars”, which should be based on three main principles.

First, there will be no winners in any modern war; everyone would be on the losing side.

Second, a new war will inevitably entail the use of weapons of mass destruction.  

This will lead to the destruction of all humankind, a threat must be understood by all current and future leaders and politicians.

Third, the main tool for resolving all disputes between states should be peaceful dialogue and constructive negotiations on the basis of equal responsibility for peace and security, mutual respect and non-interference in domestic affairs

The world community must take comprehensive action towards these goals.

First, there must be gradual progress to a world free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.

An important step, to which Kazakhstan made a significant contribution, has already been taken in the right direction.

On December 7, 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration for the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapons-Free World put forward by Kazakhstan.

Twenty-five years ago, Kazakhstan permanently closed the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site; 20 years ago, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was put forward to UN member states to sign, but has still to come into force.

Under the International Atomic Energy Agency auspices, Kazakhstan is to host the Low-Enriched Uranium Bank on its territory, which will allow countries to develop civilian nuclear energy.

We now need global decisions to prohibit deploying lethal weapons in outer space, on the seabed and in international waters of the world oceans.

We should develop and adopt international binding agreements to ban the creation of new types of weapons of mass destruction through new scientific discoveries.

It is necessary to create a register at the UN of such scientific developments, which could be used for the creation and advancement of weapons of mass destruction.

Second, we must build on and expand existing geographical initiatives to gradually eliminate war as a way of life.

There are already six nuclear weapon free zones in the world. They encompass Antarctica and virtually the entire southern hemisphere. 

The newest is a zone free of nuclear weapons in Central Asia created 10 years ago in Semipalatinsk by five states of the region.

Now we must intensify international efforts to create a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

In 1992, Kazakhstan put forward the initiative to convene the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia. 

This century the forum has been successfully institutionalised with participation of 26 member states of the continent, the UN and other international organisations.

Third, it is necessary to eliminate such relics of the Cold War as military blocs, which threaten global security and impede broader international cooperation.

Geopolitical reality means that when one military bloc is established, an opposing bloc will be created. Power generates anti-power.

We should also have learnt from past wars and conflicts that it is impossible to ensure our own security by undermining the security of others. That is why a global coalition of states for peace, stability, trust and security under the UN auspices should be set up against military blocs.

Our common task for the next decade should be to end wars and conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Syria, in eastern Ukraine and the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation.

We must reduce the dangerous potential of the situations on the Korean Peninsula, the basin of the South China Sea, and the Arctic.

Fourth, it is important to adapt the international disarmament process to the new historic conditions.

A shortsighted dismantlement of previous treaty limitations on anti-missile systems and conventional arms has resulted in militarisation in the political space of Eurasia. 

This increases the risk of a new global war, even by the possible failure of electronic defence management systems.

The world needs to eliminate the new threat of cyber crime, which can become a very dangerous weapon if used by terrorists.

Fifth, a world without war requires primarily fair global competition in international trade, finance and development.

During the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, Kazakhstan proposed the development of a 2045 Global Strategic Initiative Plan, whose main goal is to eliminate the root causes of wars and conflicts.

This can best be achieved by through equal and fair access to infrastructure, resources and markets for all nations.

In the 21st century, we all need peace. We should think hard about the future of our children and grandchildren.

We must act together to prevent a repetition of tragic mistakes of past centuries and spare the world from the threat of a war.

Failing to act or putting limits on efforts to promote peace risk global catastrophe.

The article is based on a speech delivered by the writer, the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan, at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on March 31. It was made available to The Jordan Times by the embassy of Kazakhstan in Jordan.