UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) - The United Nations praised the Nobel Peace Prize awarded on Friday (Oct 6) to nuclear disarmament group ICAN as good news in a world where the elimination of nuclear weapons is needed more than ever.

UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres was among the first to congratulate the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons for its win.

"Now more than ever we need a world without nuclear weapons," he said on Twitter.

A UN spokesman in Geneva, Alessandra Vellucci, said the award is "a good omen" for the eventual ratification of a treaty banning nuclear weapon.

The historic nuclear weapons ban treaty was signed by 122 countries in July.

The award came as North Korea has set the world on edge with a series of nuclear and missile tests that have sent global tensions soaring.

US President Donald Trump threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea in a UN General Assembly speech last month, and is reported to be ready to turn his back on an international agreement with Iran to curb its nuclear programme.