Overview
These informal consultations are being convened pursuant to resolution 79/62 “Lethal autonomous weapons systems” adopted by the General Assembly on 2 December 2024.
By operative paragraphs 7 and 9 of the resolution, the General Assembly:
“Decides to convene open informal consultations in 2025 to consider the report of the Secretary-General in full complementarity with and in a manner that supports the fulfilment of the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts in order to further the international community’s understanding of the issues involved by discussing the full range of views received, including proposals and relevant aspects raised in the report that may thus far not have been discussed in detail in the Group of Governmental Experts;
“Decides that the open informal consultations should be convened in New York for a duration of two days in 2025 and that these consultations shall be open to the full participation of all Member States and observer States and international and regional organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and civil society, including the scientific community and industry”
The closing remarks of the Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs are now available online.
Statements
High-level opening
Welcoming remarks by the Director and Deputy to the High Representative on behalf of the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Video message by the Secretary-General of the United Nations
Video message by the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross
Statement (ES/EN) by the Chair of the First Committee of the General Assembly
Statement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone
Briefing by the Chair of the GGE LAWS
Briefing by the Chair of the Group of Governmental Experts
Australia (on behalf of a group of States)
Introduction to the report of the Secretary-General (A/79/88)
Presentation by Mr. René Holbach, Office for Disarmament Affairs
Briefing by Ms. Nicole van Rooijen, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots
Legal considerations
Briefing by Ms. Laura Bruun, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
Humanitarian considerations
Briefing by Mr. Brady Mabe, International Committee of the Red Cross
Security considerations
Pace University International Disarmament Institute
Technological considerations
International Committee for Robot Arms Control
Ethical considerations
International Committee for Robot Arms Control
Regional and global conferences and other initiatives related to LAWS
Briefing by Austria
Briefing by Costa Rica
Closing
Remarks by the Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs
Side Events
- A Hazard to Human Rights: Autonomous Weapons Systems and Digital Decision-Making
- organized by the Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations in New York and Stop Killer Robots
- Date and time: Monday, 12 May lunch (1:15-2:30)
- Location: Conference Room 8 or online on UN WebTV
- Event description: Featuring a presentation of a new report by Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic, and speakers from Stop Killer Robots, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, this side event will examine the human rights implications of autonomous weapons systems and the urgent need for a legally binding instrument containing prohibitions on both antipersonnel systems and systems that do not allow for meaningful human control, alongside other regulations to govern the design, development, and use of other autonomous weapons systems. The side event will additionally explore examples and impacts of component technologies such as remote biometric surveillance and predictive tools, already in use, and the implications of their use within autonomous weapons systems on human rights.
- Contact: charlotte@stopkillerrobots.org
- Reception hosted by Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Costa Rica in collaboration with the Future of Life Institute
- Date and time: Monday, 12 May (6:30-8:30)
- Location: Nigeria House, 828 Second Avenue
- RSVP to: ann@futureoflife.org
- Please see the flyer for further details.
- “Code and Conduct: Chances for Autonomous Weapons Regulation”
- organized by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
- Date and time: Tuesday, 13 May (1:15 to 2:45)
- Location: 747 Third Avenue, Suite 34D, New York, NY 10017
- Please see the the flyer for further details and RSVP registration. Please RSVP by Friday, 9 May.
Information for Participants
The informal consultations will take place on 12 and 13 May 2025 in Conference Room 1 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
An updated programme was circulated on 30 April 2025. The latest update is dated 2 May 2025.
Notes verbales have been dispatched to Member States and Observer States, as well as to international and regional organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
A letter has also been sent to representatives of civil society.
Further information will be posted on this page in due time.
Information for civil society
Representatives for civil society are advised to review the Information note for participation by civil society, including the scientific community and industry. Please note that all requests for accreditation and/or registration must be received by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs by 30 April 2025, 6pm EST, following the procedure outlined in the information note.
Information for the Media
Media interested in covering this event are invited to review the media advisory.
Media Contacts
Mr. René Holbach, Political Affairs Officer, Science, Technology and International Security Unit, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, E-mail: holbach@un.org, Tel.: +1 212 963 3322.
For Accreditation matters
Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit, Email: malu@un.org, Telephone: +1 212 963 6934.
