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On 11 November 2025, the Permanent Representative of Latvia to the UN, OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna, Ambassador Raimonds Oškalns, was elected as Chairperson of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) for 2026. His election was unanimously decided by the 187 member states of the organization. This is the first time that a representative from Latvia has been elected to this high-ranking position.
As the Chairperson of the Commission, starting from 1 January 2026, Ambassador Oškalns will lead the organization's highest political decision-making body. The Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO, headquartered in Vienna, is an organization with a strong technical mandate. It is responsible for the International Monitoring System (IMS) and the International Data Centre (IDC). Approximately 80 percent of the organization’s budget is dedicated specifically to verification activities. This ensures that the international community has the capacity to detect and analyse any nuclear explosions, guaranteeing that no nuclear test goes undetected.
After his election, the Ambassador of Latvia expressed his gratitude for the broad support and emphasized:
“The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation and its verification regime are cornerstones of the global disarmament and non-proliferation architecture. I thank you for the trust you have shown and I pledge to work in the interests of the entire organization. I will promote cooperation between the States Signatories, the CTBTO Executive Secretary and the Secretariat to promote the achievement of the goals set out in the treaty towards a world free of nuclear testing.”
The year 2026 will be symbolic as the 30th anniversary of the signing of the CTBT (1996) and the 25th anniversary of the treaty's ratification in Latvia (2001). Latvia thereby confirms its consistent support for global nuclear non-proliferation.
Ambassador Raimonds Oškalns has extensive experience in diplomacy, especially in the field of international security and organizations.
Background information
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) prohibits nuclear tests and any other nuclear explosions – above ground, underground, in the atmosphere and underwater. The global norm against nuclear testing limits the uncontrolled development and spread of nuclear weapons, and prevents the environmental and humanitarian risks that result from nuclear explosions.
The treaty was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, but has not entered into force because it has not been ratified by certain states with recognized significant nuclear capabilities. The CTBTO Preparatory Commission includes all 187 states that have signed the treaty. The Commission is responsible for establishing a verification regime and promoting the entry into force of the treaty.
At the same time, the technical resources created by the organization are already providing significant scientific and civilian contributions. In order to continuously monitor possible nuclear explosions anywhere in the world, the International Monitoring System has been established with 337 data collection stations and laboratories around the world. The system includes four complementary technologies: seismic stations that detect vibrations in the Earth's crust; hydroacoustic sensors that detect sound waves in the oceans; infrasound sensors that record low-frequency sound waves in the atmosphere; and radionuclide stations that identify radioactive particles released in nuclear explosions. In addition to its verification functions, the IMS also provides valuable data for civilian and scientific needs, for example, by supporting tsunami early warning systems and earthquake monitoring.
In Latvia, the Treaty entered into force on 28 June 2001. It has been ratified by all the Member States of the European Union.