The Nobel Peace Prize award to nuclear disarmament group ICAN on Friday is "a good omen" for the eventual ratification of a treaty banning nuclear weapons, the United Nations said. 

"I think it is a good omen... for the treaty to be further signed and above all ratified", UN spokeswoman Alessandra Vellucci told reporters in Geneva, reacting to the honour given to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. 

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