UN, ICRC chiefs call for new intl rules on autonomous weapons systems

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric on Tuesday renewed their call for states to urgently adopt new international rules on autonomous weapons systems.



"Three years ago, we called on states to establish specific prohibitions and restrictions on autonomous weapon systems. Today, we renew this call with even greater urgency," said the two leaders in their joint appeal. "The fundamental concerns remain unchanged, but the risks have intensified. We are now dangerously close to crossing a moral red line: the autonomous targeting of humans by machines."



The development of weapons technologies has advanced at record speed, placing increasing strain on legal frameworks. Since the previous appeal three years ago, the gap between technological capability and regulatory constraint has widened, with advanced technologies employed on the battlefield amplifying the risk of harming civilians and civilian infrastructure and aggravating civilian suffering in armed conflict, they said.



"The development and use of autonomous weapon systems represent a further escalation, reducing human control over the use of force. Autonomous weapon systems are not part of a distant future -- a race toward greater autonomy in weapons systems is already well underway," they said.