Prospect of Giving Machines Autonomy to Inflict Harm Raises Serious Moral Concerns, Holy See Tells First Committee as It Concludes General Debate
The present era is witnessing an unprecedented threat to peace, accompanied by a weakening and, in some instances, a loss of the very concept of peace itself, the Holy See’s delegate told the First Committee, which concluded its general debate today.
The global increase in armed conflicts and the concomitant rise in military expenditure are exacerbating suffering and fear, with particularly adverse effects on the poor, the elderly, children and those in vulnerable situations, he stressed, urging the pursuit of disarmament because the belief in the deterrent value of weapons is illusory.
At a time when the threat of nuclear conflict is dangerously close to becoming a reality once more, the international community must intensify its efforts to strengthen and implement arms control and disarmament treaties, he said. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons offers a viable path to establish a new security framework, and he urges all States to join it and to renounce the use of nuclear energy for warfare.
The Holy See also calls for ensuring that lethal autonomous weapons are controlled solely by humans, who, guided by individual conscience, are uniquely placed to ensure that their use is consistent with international humanitarian law. “The prospect of giving machines the autonomy to inflict harm and death raises serious legal and moral concerns,” he said.
Similarly, the representative of Namibia is pleased to see more States signing and ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which can earnestly contribute to a world free of nuclear weapons. If the international community is genuine in its pursuit of disarmament, the Treaty’s universalization is key. She pointed to a precarious global setting, with escalating tensions amid an environment marked by a developmental agenda that is “off track”. Ironically, the world struggles to find money for development yet “national purses” are easily opened for weaponry, ammunition and other armaments. “We are unable to fund the developmental needs of the world, but we are able to fund the destruction of societies”.
Echoing these concerns, the speaker for Cabo Verde said “it pains us to know” that, in 2023, nuclear-weapon States spent $91.4 billion on weapons. In the last five years, $387 billion was spent on nuclear weapons, enough money to feed 45 million people who are currently facing hunger around the world. He asked how it is possible to continue “wasting so much money on weapons that are prohibited that destroy life,” instead of using it “to save the lives who die of hunger”. He also called for the creation of more nuclear-weapon-free zones.
Cameroon’s representative urged the revitalization of the multilateral disarmament mechanism and the relaunch of the objective of a world free of nuclear weapons. While the Pact for the Future projects a ray of hope by renewing important disarmament and international security commitments, these, made by heads of State and Government, “risk wasting away” and are “wishful thinking” if the world does not remedy the risk that “Armageddon is soaring”.
To prevent this risk, the speaker for Venezuela said the First Committee must facilitate détente, halt the erosion of trust among members of the international community and strengthen multilateralism and international law. Nuclear weapons are a threat to the survival of humanity, he stressed, adding that their number and types under development have increased as States have increased their reliance on nuclear deterrence. Venezuela insists on the imperative to work towards their total elimination.
In the same vein, the representative of the League of Arab States said the implicit and explicit threats of nuclear weapon use in the Middle East and elsewhere are aggravating the dangerous international context and coincide with an arms race among military Powers. She underscored the double standards in the international community, which depend on the conflicts concerned and the parties’ relationships with major international Powers.
She said that Middle Eastern countries deal with the constant postponement of the implementation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region, which would require Israel to place all its nuclear installations under the control of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Israel is proud to defy all these efforts because of its protection by international Powers. One of its ministers has even threatened to use nuclear weapons against the Gaza Strip, which is already devastated. She proposed an embargo on arms supplies to Israel.
After the First Committee heard the representatives of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), it proceeded from closing the general debate in the morning meeting to a discussion on its working methods this afternoon.
The Committee had before it a draft decision submitted by Singapore and South Africa, titled “Information on requests for votes” (document A/C.1/79/L.4) and suggesting that the identity of the Member State or States that request a vote on specific paragraphs and/or draft resolutions as a whole must be provided by the Committee Chair to the Committee when requested by a Member State. It was approved without a vote alongside a draft oral decision clarifying that it will take immediate effect.
Several delegations spoke in the text's favour, including the representative of Singapore who introduced the draft on behalf of South Africa and his own country. Spotlighting an existing practice whereby information on the identity of a Member State or States requesting a vote is not divulged in the proceedings of the First Committee, he said that even the Chair or members of the Committee Bureau are not privy to this information. “Member States are unable to verify the veracity of any call for a vote, which is a lack of transparency,” he said, adding that the goal of the draft decision is to enhance transparency and build confidence, not to name and shame or cast any blame.
Australia’s delegate, speaking also for Canada and New Zealand, supported the draft decision, as transparency is a vital ingredient for building common understanding and the very nature of First Committee discussions make greater transparency so vital. Similarly, the representatives of Austria, Lithuania, Slovenia and Switzerland supported the decision and its intent to increase transparency.
Contrary to them, Uruguay’s speaker supported more transparency but stressed that adding another element of politicization creates a further challenge for countries with limited resources. He called for comprehensive reform of the Committee’s working methods, including of the current clusters, and expressed concern that the Committee is breaking with a practice that preserves the identity of States, their equal conditions and the capacity of small missions to approach delicate topics.
Echoing this concern, India’s representative said there is no “one-size fits all” when it comes to working methods and rules of procedure. In this body, “the First and in a certain sense, the oldest committee of the Assembly,” they have evolved to help it discharge its functions. The Committee’s working methods are meant to strike a balance between promoting transparency and confidentiality. Requiring disclosure might create transparency but might also stifle dissent, particularly on the part of those who are less powerful, he said, adding that secrecy is not unknown in voting systems. The Committee’s work is already highly politicized and his delegation believes that the proposed change could further politicize it.
Other delegates spoke about broader working methods. Egypt’s representative called for strict observance of the rules of procedures. Rights of replies can be grouped and delivered at the end of the General Debate and after each cluster, he said. The speaker for the Russian Federation, reminding delegates that key members of his delegation have still not received visas, pointed to the participation of non-State actors and underscored the inter-State nature of this body of the General Assembly.
The Swiss delegate observed, “The discussion we are having now is a duplication of the work of the Fifth Committee, which will deal with programme plans in the context of the adoption of the 2025 budget”. The participation and engagement of civil society is another important element to ensure transparency, he said.
Regretting that civil society’s contributions are reduced to an informal format, as the voice of civil society is central to the Committee’s work, Mexico’s delegate expressed concern about the practice of presenting competing resolutions without any intention of negotiating between the authors. “Year after year, we see that resolutions are presented with mere technical changes; many of them have remained static for a long period,” he said, suggesting that some texts could change from annual to biennial, and even from biennial to triennial.
Similarly, the representative of the United States said the working methods can be improved, including by the bi- and tri-annualization of resolutions, where it is beneficial for them to be on a longer cycle. The Committee should think seriously about how many initiatives are proposed at one time that have budgetary consequences, he added.
China’s representative said improving transparency and the Committee’s working methods is essential so that all parties can engage in constructive dialogue, based on mutual respect. The Committee must strive to adopt decisions by consensus, he said. It must be results-oriented rather than having too many votes. The calendar and agenda should be rationalized, so that all States can take part.
The delegate for Cuba, also speaking on behalf of Nicaragua and Iran, expressed concern over the increasing tendency to cut off the microphone, since an essential step towards dialogue and trust is to be able to listen to each other. Member States must retain the sovereign right to introduce new items and submit new resolutions, she emphasized, objecting to imposing texts after little or no negotiation.
Speaking after the approval of the draft decisions, Egypt's representative thanked Singapore and South Africa for steering the principled, transparent and inclusive process that led to this. He added that his delegation would have preferred that the activation of the applicability of this decision take place following the regular procedure - after the corresponding adoption by the Assembly.
At the end of the meeting, the representative of Hungary, speaking on behalf of European Union, said to build consensus mutual understanding of positions is key. Transparency will contribute to a better understanding of positions and the rationale for decisions on proposals that are put to a vote. It will improve accountability which will strengthen the Committee’s overall efforts, she stressed.