“The Treaty’s adoption on 7 July 2017 by 122 States demonstrated the strong and legitimate international support that exists for a permanent end to the threat posed by nuclear arms,” said a statement issued on behalf of the UN chief by his Deputy Spokesperson.

The Treaty is the first multilateral legally-binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to be negotiated in two decades. It prohibits a range of nuclear weapon-related activity, such as developing, testing, manufacturing, acquiring or possessing and stockpiling nuclear weapons, as well as any threat to use them.

It opened for signature at UN Headquarters in New York on 20 September 2017, and will enter into force 90 days after 50 Member States have ratified it, “becoming an important element of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime,” said the statement released on Saturday.

“The United Nations remains committed to the total elimination of nuclear weapons as its highest disarmament priority,” concluded the Secretary-General.

Nuclear-armed States and most of their allies stayed out of the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the Treaty.

Last October, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of the leading role it played in the discussions leading up to the adoption of the TPNW.