…ensuring IHL compliance must begin at the development stage. And right now many Delegations have pointed out—delegation of Italy also has pointed out—that Article 36 of the Additional Protocol I of the Geneva Conventions do affirm the necessity of ensuring compliance with IHL from the inception stage of a weapon cycle. The very purpose of legal review under Article 36 is to prevent the development of weapon that cannot be lawfully used in an armed conflict. Others may argue that Article 36 is not a customary obligation but the reality is that many of these states, including those that are not party to Additional Protocol I, already conduct legal reviews of new weapons as a matter of national policy. And this national policy—we respect that and the practice is worth emulating. This does reflect a broader recognition that a weapon compliance with IHL is determined long before it is deployed or, for that matter, employed on the battlefield.
Statement by Pakistan (GGE LAWS, 4 March 2025, morning)
