2017 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS)

A Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS), which was established in 2016 by the Fifth Review Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), will meet for the first time from 13 to 17 November.

The GGE will be chaired by Ambassador Amandeep Singh Gill of India. It has been mandated with examining emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems. Participation at the meeting is expected from a wide array of stakeholders, including many of the Convention’s 125 High Contracting Parties, as well as representatives of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, academia, industry and civil society.

The meeting will bring together this diverse group to allow for an exchange of views and expertise on this multi-faceted issue. It is expected that the GGE will consider LAWS from various angles, including technological, military, ethical and legal dimensions.

The discussion will build on three informal meetings of experts on the topic, held under the auspices of the CCW in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

New! Formal press release - 10 November 2017

New! Press conference on the upcoming meeting of the Government Group of Experts on LAWS - 10 November 2017

New! Ambassador Amandeep Singh Gill interviewed on LAWS by SIPRI

UNODA Occasional Papers - No. 30, November 2017, "Perspectives on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems"

Registration: Please note that following past practise High Contracting Parties, State signatories and observer States wishing to attend must send, through their permanent missions, a letter or note verbale to the CCW Implementation Support Unit setting out the members of their delegations. The notes verbales should clearly indicate those delegates that do have a badge to enter the Palais des Nations. International organizations, NGOs and academic institutions must send directly a letter setting out the members of their delegations to the CCW Implementation Support Unit. For the upcoming CCW meetings, online registration (INDICO) is not required.

Information for High Contracting Parties, observer States, intergovernmental organizations and non-
governmental organizations - CCW/MSP/2017/INF.1

The following documents have been submitted by the Chairperson to assist delegations with their preparations for the GGE:

CCW/GGE:1/2017/1/Rev.1 - Provisional Agenda

CCW/GGE.1/2017/2 - Provisional Programme of Work

Side Events - see the schedule of side events

Programme of Work with experts presenters


CCW/GGE.1/2017/CRP.1 - Report of the 2017 Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) (Advanced Version)


Working papers

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.1 - Food-for-thought paper submitted by the Chairperson

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.2 - Netherlands -Please find courtesy translations in French and Spanish

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.3 - Belgium

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.4 - Germany and France

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.5 - Netherlands and Switzerland

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.6 - United States of America

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.7 - United States of America

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.8 - Russian Federation and version in Russian

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.9 - Switzerland

CCW/GGE.1/2017/WP.10 - Non-Aligned Movement and Other States Parties to the CCW

General Exchange

States
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Canada
Chile
China
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba (EN/SP)
Egypt
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Holy See
India
Iraq
Ireland
Israel: Statement 1- Statement 2
Italy
Japan
Kazakhstan
Mexico
Morocco
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Norway
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Republic of Korea
Russian Federation
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Zambia
European Union

NGOs and Other Agencies
UNIDIR
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Campaign to Stop Killer Robots
Human Rights Watch
International Committee for Robot Arms Control
Mines Action Canada
Nobel Women’s Initiative
PAX
Center for a New American Security (CNAS)

Experts
Stuart Russell - University of California, Berkeley
Lydia Kostopoulos - National Defense University
Christopher Korpela - US Military Academy
Dominique Lambert
Marie- Helene Parizeau - World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology, UNESCO

The digital recordings of all general statements are available here

Who can participate in a CCW GGE? A CCW GGE is not the same as a GGE established under the General Assembly. It is open to all High Contracting Parties and non-States parties, international organisations and non-governmental organisations.

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