The 2025 Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) decided to organize "the Group of Governmental Experts of the High Contracting Parties related to emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), for a duration of 10 days, from 2-6 March 2026 and from 31 August-4 September 2026" (CCW/MSP/2025/8, paragraph 19 (c)). The Meeting also adopted the relevant cost estimates for 2026 as contained in CCW/MSP/2025/5.
On 26 January 2026, the CCW Implementation Support Unit circulated an aide-mémoire providing information on attending the first 2026 session of the GGE on LAWS.
Responsible procurement of military AI: practical implications for autonomous weaponsSide-event organized by SIPRI. Concept-note.
Deliberations within the CCW Group of Governmental Experts on lethal autonomous weapons systems have centred on the conditions under which autonomous weapons can be developed and used consistently with international humanitarian law and other relevant normative frameworks. Procurement represents a consequential phase at which these conditions are put in practice. It is at this phase that human-machine interaction requirements are specified, legal reviews are conducted, and assurance processes are carried out. A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) examines the intersection between military procurement and responsible artificial intelligence (AI). The report investigates why and how states are adapting their procurement processes to accelerate military AI adoption (including adoption of AI-enabled autonomous weapons) and why and how states should seize these opportunities to give effect to their legal obligations and high-level policy commitments related to responsible military AI. SIPRI and the Department of National Defence of Canada invite you to an open briefing on the findings and recommendations of SIPRI’s report by co-author, Netta Goussac. The briefing will be followed by a moderated discussion with participants.
09:00-09:50Room XII
03
March2026
Pre-Launch of the UNIDIR field manual on LAWS and IHLSide-event organized by UNIDIR.
This event introduces the Field Manual, a publication developed by UNIDIR that unpacks the application of IHL to LAWS. The Field Manual includes catalogues of scenarios detailing realistic operational contexts in which LAWS could be deployed across domains of warfare (air, land, and sea), in both international and non-international armed conflicts, complemented by specific guiding questions supporting States in their legal analysis. The event will present the scope and structure of the field manual, and will showcase select scenarios to the audience, including an illustration of IHL guiding questions. The event is open to all delegates to the GGE on LAWS.
13:15-14:30Room XII
04
March2026
Inflection Point at the CCW: Taking Action on a Decade of WorkSide-event organized by Stop Killer Robots. Flyer.
The critical need for new rules on autonomous weapons is now firmly on the international agenda, with growing global awareness of the issue. Following nine years of meetings of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) Group of Governmental Experts on lethal autonomous weapons systems (GGE on LAWS), areas of significant convergence have been developed on the elements of an instrument to address the unique challenges posed by autonomous weapons systems. This side event will provide opportunity for states to reflect on what ground the GGE on LAWS has covered, its successes, and the opportunities provided this year at the close of the mandate and the CCW Review Conference to take action and advance the issue of autonomous weapons systems. It will also launch a new publication ‘Inflection Point at the CCW: Taking Action on a Decade of Work’ from Stop Killer Robots, which provides an overview of where the evolving discussions of the CCW stand and recommendations on next steps for states engaged in the CCW process.
