General Assembly Adopts More Than 60 Resolutions, Decisions of Its First Committee (Disarmament and International Security)

Amid rising geopolitical tensions, rapid advances in weapons technologies, and the erosion of key arms-control agreements, the General Assembly today adopted more than 60 resolutions and decisions put forward by its First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), including a new text addressing the risks of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the command, control and communications systems of nuclear weapons.

Introducing the First Committee’s report (document A/80/534), Rapporteur Ana Avila (Costa Rica) reported that “strict” time management and a drastic streamlining of its work allowed the body to conclude its work one day earlier than scheduled with five fewer plenary meetings than originally planned.

“These efficiencies did not dampen the interest in disarmament and international security issues, which continues to rise,” she stressed, noting that during the session, 156 delegations made statements within the general debate segment — three more than last year — while an “impressive” 471 interventions were made during the thematic discussion segment compared to 435 in 2024. 

The Committee adopted 63 draft resolutions and decisions, 49 of which went to recorded votes, with only 14 draft proposals passed without a vote, she recalled.  “The continuing divide amongst delegations is reflected in the 160 votes requested on proposals or parts thereof,” she observed.

Texts on Artificial Intelligence, Nuclear Risk, Outer-Space Security Highlight Concern Over Emerging Military Technologies

Delegates kept disarmament issues concerning the use of AI at the forefront of their deliberations amid the technology’s rapid development.

The draft resolution “Possible risks of integration of artificial intelligence in command, control and communication systems of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/80/L.56) was adopted by a recorded vote of 118 in favour to 9 against (Argentina, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, France, Israel, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and the United States), with 44 abstentions. 

By its terms, the Assembly demanded that, pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, “human control and oversight is maintained over command, control and communications systems of nuclear weapons, including those that integrate artificial intelligence technology”.

The Assembly also adopted the draft resolution “Artificial intelligence in the military domain and its implications for international peace and security” (document A/C.1/80/L.46) by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to 5 against (Burundi, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Israel, Russian Federation, United States), with 5 abstentions (Argentina, Belarus, Iran, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia).

By the text, the Assembly decided to convene informal exchanges in Geneva for States to further share perspectives on observations and conclusions as presented in the report of the Secretary-General, including opportunities and challenges, existing and emerging normative proposals and next steps.

Several texts focused on an arms race in outer space, which has increasingly become a contested domain for military and strategic competition.

The draft resolution “Prevention of an arms race in outer space” (document A/C.1/80/L.3) was adopted by a recorded vote of 177 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 1 abstention (Ukraine).  The text has the Assembly call upon all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the peaceful use of outer space and prevention of an arms race in outer space and to refrain from actions contrary to that objective and to the relevant existing treaties in the interest of maintaining international peace and security and promoting international cooperation.

Further, the Assembly reiterated that the Conference on Disarmament, as the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, has the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreements, as appropriate, on the prevention of an arms race in outer space in all its aspects, inviting the Conference to establish a working group as early as possible.

The Assembly also adopted the draft resolution “Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities” (document A/C.1/80/L.36) by a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Ukraine, United States), with 1 abstention (Argentina).

By the text, the Assembly called upon Member States and the relevant entities and organizations of the United Nations system to support the implementation of “the full range of conclusions and recommendations” by the Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities.

The draft resolution “No first placement of weapons in outer space” (document A/C.1/80/L.37) was adopted by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to 52 against, with 5 abstentions (Argentina, Côte d'Ivoire, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Switzerland).

By the text, the Assembly urged an early commencement of substantive work based on the updated draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat or use of force against outer space objects, introduced by China and the Russian Federation at the Conference on Disarmament in 2008.

The draft resolution “Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space” (document A/C.1/80/L.38) was adopted by a record vote of 121 in favour to 50 against, with 7 abstentions (Argentina, Fiji, Georgia, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Switzerland).

By the text, the Assembly proclaimed it a “historic responsibility” of all States to ensure that the exploration of outer space is carried out exclusively for peaceful purposes for the benefit of humankind.  It also declared that the exclusion of outer space from the sphere of the arms race and the preservation of outer space for peaceful purposes should become a mandatory norm of State policy and a generally recognized international obligation.

Peace in Middle East Takes Centre Stage

As the Middle East continues to face prolonged instability, the adoption of resolutions on nuclear disarmament in the region carried added significance.

Through the draft resolution “Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East” (document A/C.1/80/L.1) — adopted by a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, United States) with 3 abstentions (Cameroon, Fiji, Paraguay) — the Assembly urged all parties directly concerned to “seriously consider taking the practical and urgent steps required for the implementation of the proposal” to establish such a zone.

The Assembly also adopted the draft resolution “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East” (document A/C.1/80/L.2) by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 6 against (Argentina, Fiji, Israel, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States) with 30 abstentions.

By the text, the Assembly reaffirmed the importance of Israel’s accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and placement of all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, in realizing the goal of universal adherence to the Treaty in the Middle East.

Several texts required numerous votes on their provisions before they were adopted as a whole.  One such text was the draft resolution “Steps to building a common roadmap towards a world without nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/80/L.4), which was adopted by a recorded vote of 147 in favour to 5 against (China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Nicaragua, Russian Federation) with 26 abstentions.

By the text, the Assembly urged all States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to make every effort to ensure that nuclear weapons are never used again, pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, and to refrain from any inflammatory rhetoric.  Further, it called upon the nuclear-weapon States to honour and respect all existing negative security assurances undertaken by them, and not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

Delegates Push for Multilateral Action on AI-driven Weapons, Stronger Prohibitions on Nuclear Arms, Landmines

The draft resolution “Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems” (document A/C.1/80/L.41) was adopted by a recorded vote of 164 in favour to 6 against (Belarus, Burundi, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Israel, Russian Federation, United States), with 7 abstentions (Argentina, China, Iran, Nicaragua, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye).

By the text, the Assembly underlined that a comprehensive and inclusive multilateral approach is required to address the full range of challenges and concerns posed by autonomous weapons systems, including consideration of legal, technological, ethical, humanitarian and security perspectives, to safeguard international peace and security, and encouraged States to conduct further exchanges to that effect.

The 193-member organ also called upon the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects to work towards completing the set of elements for an instrument being developed within the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems, with a view to future negotiations.

The draft resolution “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” (document A/C.1/80/L.18) was adopted by a recorded vote of 119 in favour to 45 against with 12 abstentions.

Welcoming that 95 States had signed the Treaty and 74 States had become parties to it as of 10 October 2025, the Assembly called upon all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date.

Amid reports of several countries intending to withdraw from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution (document A/C.1/80/L.30) promoting the instrument’s implementation by a recorded vote of 159 in favour to 1 against (Russian Federation), with 19 abstentions. 

By the text, the Assembly invited all States that are not party to the Convention to accede to it without delay and stressed the importance of the full and effective implementation of and compliance with the Convention, including through the continued implementation of the action plans under the Convention.

Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here.