Military Application of Emerging Technologies Outpacing Norms Against Misuse, First Committee Hears at Start of Thematic Debate on Conventional Weapons
Highlighting a sharp rise in the proliferation and use of armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on behalf of the Core Group of countries, the delegate for Portugal told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) that recent developments regarding their manufacturing with commercial parts and components pose several ethical, humanitarian and legal challenges related to responsibility and accountability.
“Armed UAVs can exhibit certain characteristics that distinguish them from other weapon systems notably as they can be controlled remotely and without engaging troops or any kind of human assets,” he said, during the thematic debate on conventional weapons. Those weapons have significantly changed the dynamics of war and tend to further proliferate due to the easy accessibility of technology by a broad range of actors and the significant decrease in manufacturing and operating costs.
Some UAV components can be transferred and replicated for use in other systems, and commercial and civilian-use UAVs can be modified and subsequently armed, he noted, urging United Nations disarmament bodies to play a role in devising norms.
The representative of Cambodia, speaking on behalf of Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), said the international community is confronting an increasingly precarious situation as civilian casualties from the conventional weapons use continues to rise. He is deeply concerned by the illicit proliferation of these weapons, which not only fuels violence and instability, but also exacerbates poverty and undermines the overall well-being of communities across the globe.
Misuse of conventional weapons affects the livelihood and economy of the local populations and creates intense pressure on the local government and surrounding regions. He firmly believes that effective regulation and control of conventional weapons are essential to preserve peace, stability, and sustainable development. He urged States to collaborate in halting illegal trading activities. This cooperation is vital to ensure safety and the uninterrupted continuation of development efforts.
Echoing these concerns, Mauritania’s representative, speaking on behalf of the Group of Arab States, said that conventional weapons bring devastating consequences in the areas of security and humanitarian and economic affairs. Seeing increased flows of small arms and light weapons in his region and conflicts “dragging on”, the group seeks to “impose an embargo in terms of the arrival of light weapons into a country without the clear authorization being issued by the importing authorities of that country”.
In the same vein, the delegate for Indonesia, speaking for the Non-Aligned Movement, called for a significant reduction in the production, possession and trade of conventional weapons by the industrialized States with a view to enhancing international and regional peace and security. She highlighted the need for concrete measures to prevent and address the diversion of those weapons and ammunition to unauthorized recipients, including criminals, organized criminal groups and terrorists.
She also believes that lethal autonomous weapon systems raise several ethical, legal, humanitarian, moral, technological, as well as international peace and security-related questions. She welcomes efforts towards new legally binding provisions for addressing the challenges posed by the emerging technologies.
The representative of Grenada, speaking on behalf of Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said in his region he has witnessed the devastating impact of firearms on society. The diversion of small arms and light weapons and their ammunition is “a pressing concern for CARICOM” as those support criminal activities, including trafficking of drugs and people, transnational organised crime and gang activities. He underscored the need for robust measures to prevent their diversion to unauthorised users.
Emerging technologies present opportunities and challenges in conventional arms control, he said, adding for instance, that 3D printing poses the risk of the unauthorized manufacture of firearms. He called for rigorous national and international standards to monitor and regulate these technologies to prevent the creation of untraceable and undetectable weapons.
Germany’s delegate underscored that ongoing military conflicts, including the Russian Federation’s “illegal war” against Ukraine, and their grave humanitarian consequences underline both the importance and necessity of not only upholding but strengthening common efforts in conventional arms control. Berlin remains gravely concerned at the serious threats to international peace and security through the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons in many regions.
He said his country allocated over 20 million euros in 2023 to projects related to these weapons and is giving 70 million euros this year for the clearance of cluster munitions, mines and other explosive remnants of war, as well as for victim assistance and risk awareness activities, advocacy and stockpile destruction. Protecting civilians in armed conflict remains crucial. The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and its Protocols, the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Mine Ban Convention are essential instruments when it comes to addressing the devastating humanitarian impact on civilians due to the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons, he stressed.
Condemning the use of landmines, cluster munitions and incendiary weapons by any actor under any circumstance, the Philippines’ representative said the experience of Southeast Asia demonstrates that cluster munitions cause superfluous injury, and their remnants pose a grave threat to peoples and communities for decades, thus hampering development.
She agrees with previous speakers that use of emerging technologies in the development and deployment of weapons poses challenges, especially in the humanitarian dimension of war. The Philippines supports the enhancement of international legal and normative frameworks, with a view to moderating the behaviour of States that have the capability to use those new and advanced technologies in the development of autonomous weapons systems, as well as retaining meaningful human control over their evolution and use.
At the outset of the thematic debate, Committee Chair, in her capacity as President of the fourth UN Conference to Review Progress Made in the implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects, briefed delegations on the results of the conference’s work.
Concluding its thematic debate, begun yesterday, on weapons of mass destruction, the Committee heard from Hong Li, Director of the External Relations Division at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Last year, he said, the OPCW reached the milestone of completing the destruction of all declared chemical weapons. Still, it monitors around 5,000 chemical industrial and research sites in more than 80 countries, working to address non-compliance concerns. In Syria, the OPCW has been tackling the chemical weapons dossier for 11 years, but it is still not closed, with many outstanding issues. In Ukraine, it has been closely monitoring the situation in relation to allegations of chemical weapons use.
Keeping abreast of developments in science and technology and understanding their impact on the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention is key for preventive work, he said. In this regard, artificial intelligence, 3D printing and advances in biochemistry are all under the Organisation’s purview, including the risks associated with non-State actors. Until the four outstanding States join the Convention, the work to rid the world of chemical weapons cannot be considered complete.
Algeria’s speaker expressed concern at the “growing polarization” within the OPCW, where voting has replaced consensus. Iran’s representative said politicization harms both the Chemical Weapons Convention and the OPCW, undermining their integrity and polarizing States parties. Iran is the main victim of the most systematic method of use of chemical weapons in history, therefore the Convention’s implementation and compliance with all its provisions are vital. Addressing the needs of the victims must be a high priority, including by allocating financial resources from the OPCWs regular budget and removing sanctions in connection with medical care. Given the medical needs of tens of thousands of Iranians affected by chemical weapons provided by Western States and used by Saddam Hussein, sanctions are “absolutely unlawful and inhumane” and only deepen the suffering, he said.
The delegate for the Republic of Korea expressed concern over the reported potential use of riot control agents by the Russian Federation against Ukrainian forces. Chemical weapons “must never be used by anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances, and those responsible must be held accountable”. He highlighted the unresolved Syrian chemical weapons issue. He also is deeply concerned about the ongoing disinformation campaign by the Russian Federation, which politicizes multilateral forums with false accusations and hinders substantive discussions.
Similarly, Lithuania’s representative said there are firm grounds to believe that the use of riot control agents, irritant gas, improvised explosive devices equipped with ammonia and chloropicrin, by the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine is increasing in scale and intensity. He strongly denounces these actions backed by massive Russian disinformation. He highlighted the re-emergence of chemical weapons use in the past decade in Syria, whose Government used those weapons against its own population. Its ongoing non-compliance with the Convention undermines its objective and purpose. The representatives of Italy and Czechia echoed his concerns with regard to the Russian Federation and Syria.
In her turn, the Maldives’ delegate pointed to the growing threat posed by non-State actors seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction. Addressing this issue requires robust international collaboration. She voiced support for ongoing discussions regarding the Biological Weapons Convention, including the exploration of legally binding verification measures. The lack of a verification mechanism remains a significant gap in the global security architecture.
Rights of reply on the thematic debate on other weapons of mass destruction were made by the representatives of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Iran, and Republic of Korea.
Iran’s delegate exercised the right following today’s debate on conventional weapons.
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