Overview

In 2016, the Fifth Review Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) established a Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS). The GEE held its first meeting from 13 to 17 November 2017 in Geneva.

At their 2017 Meeting, the High Contracting Parties to the CCW agreed that the GGE on LAWS shall meet again in 2018 for a duration of ten days in Geneva. The first meeting of the GGE on LAWS in 2018 took place from 9 to 13 April. The second meeting will be held from 27 to 31 August 2018. The meeting will take place in Conference Room XVIII on 27 August and in Room XX from 28 to 31 August 2018. Ambassador Amandeep Singh Gill of India is the chair of both meetings of the GGE on LAWS.

The final report of the 2017 meeting of the GGE on LAWS, particularly the "Conclusions and Recommendations" section, provides guidance and direction for the work of the GGE to be undertaken in 2018.

The overarching issues in the area of LAWS that will be addressed in the 2018 meetings of the GGE include:

1. 1. Characterization of the systems under consideration in order to promote a common understanding on concepts and characteristics relevant to the objectives and purposes of the CCW;
2. 2. Further consideration of the human element in the use of lethal force; aspects of human-machine interaction in the development, deployment and use of emerging technologies in the area of lethal autonomous weapons systems;
3. 3. Review of potential military applications of related technologies in the context of the Group’s work;
4. 4. Possible options for addressing the humanitarian and international security challenges posed by emerging technologies in the area of LAWS in the context of the objectives and purposes of the Convention without prejudging policy outcomes and taking into account past, present and future proposals.