Supporters of a worldwide agreement to prohibit nuclear testing announced on Tuesday that they will use US President Barack Obama's efforts towards disarmament to advance their cause at the United Nations this month. Obama has expressed his backing for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which has not been enacted because nine countries, including the US, have not ratified it due to their significant nuclear activities. Morocco's ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, Omar Zniber, emphasized the importance of strengthening the non-proliferation regime during a press conference. Morocco and France are working together to encourage nuclear-armed countries like India, Pakistan, and North Korea to sign the treaty, while countries such as Egypt, Iran, and Israel have also not ratified it yet. Senior officials from states in the CTBT and the UN Security Council will convene at the United Nations in New York on September 24-25 to discuss the treaty, marking the first time in ten years that the United States will participate in such discussions. George W. Bush, Obama's predecessor, did not prioritize nuclear diplomacy and arms control, and the US Senate has not ratified the treaty since 1999, during the Clinton administration. At that time, US politicians argued that there was no foolproof way to ensure compliance with the treaty, but proponents now claim that verification technology has significantly advanced. Obama has pledged to make renewed efforts to gain Senate ratification of the treaty. His administration and Russia have emphasized the importance of eliminating nuclear arsenals worldwide, starting with their own countries. The upcoming UN talks will coincide with a special meeting of the Security Council on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, which will be led by Obama. Tibor Toth, executive secretary of the CTBT implementing agency, believes that while the US-Russian commitment to gradual disarmament is significant, achieving a global test ban pact is also possible in the current diplomatic climate. He stated that there is a renewed support for multilateralism and nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and that there should be tangible results from these efforts. This treaty is the most promising in terms of achieving something significant. Approximately 180 countries have agreed to the treaty and about 150 have officially approved it. However, it will not be effective until all nine nuclear states sign and approve it. If the United States agrees to the treaty, advocates believe it will encourage other countries to do the same.