Positions of States and Organisations

States and some organisations have expressed their views about the utility, purpose, scope and process of the legal review of weapons in various different contexts. Some of these views have been recorded domestic documents, such as military manuals on the law of armed conflict. Increasingly, however, States and organisations have articulated their positions in a range of international fora, either through written submissions or oral interventions.

This database compiles and organises publicly expressed views in relation to legal reviews, without prejudice to their relative significance or effect (for example, in terms of the development of customary international law). The database aims to comprehensively reflect the views of states but only covers the positions of a small number of selected organisations.

This database currently contains 379 positions and is continuously updated. Any corrections, or suggestions to add material, are welcome.

2024

  1. Submission by Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Sierra Leone and State of Palestine to the Secretary-General

    May 2024State or organisation: ChileState or organisation: ColombiaState or organisation: Costa RicaState or organisation: Dominican RepublicState or organisation: EcuadorState or organisation: El SalvadorState or organisation: GuatemalaState or organisation: KazakhstanState or organisation: NigeriaState or organisation: PanamaState or organisation: PeruState or organisation: PhilippinesState or organisation: Sierra LeoneState or organisation: State of PalestineForum: UNGA Res 78/241

    The draft Protocol includes a preamble and eight (8) articles: (1) General Provisions, (2) Characterization, (3) Prohibitions, (4) Regulations, (5) Review of Weapons, (6) Risk Mitigation, (7) Compliance, and (8) Consultations of High Contracting Parties …. [Annex: CCW/GGE.1/2023/WP.6]

2023

  1. Draft Protocol on Autonomous Weapon Systems (Protocol VI)

    11 May 2023State or organisation: ArgentinaState or organisation: ColombiaState or organisation: Costa RicaState or organisation: EcuadorState or organisation: El SalvadorState or organisation: GuatemalaState or organisation: KazakhstanState or organisation: NigeriaState or organisation: PanamaState or organisation: PeruState or organisation: PhilippinesState or organisation: Sierra LeoneState or organisation: State of PalestineState or organisation: UruguayForum: GGE LAWS 2023

    Article 5: Review of Weapons Sec. 1: Each High Contracting Party shall ensure that weapon systems under development or modification which changes the effects or use of existing weapon systems, including as a result of self-learning processes, must be reviewed to ensure compliance with international …

2022

  1. Draft Protocol VI

    9 August 2022State or organisation: ArgentinaState or organisation: Costa RicaState or organisation: EcuadorState or organisation: El SalvadorState or organisation: GuatemalaState or organisation: KazakhstanState or organisation: NigeriaState or organisation: PanamaState or organisation: PhilippinesState or organisation: Sierra LeoneState or organisation: UruguayForum: GGE LAWS 2022

    Article 4: Review of Weapons Sec 1: Each High Contracting Party shall ensure that weapon systems under development or modification which changes the effects or use of existing weapon systems, including as a result of self-learning process, must be reviewed to ensure compliance with international …

2021

  1. Joint Working Paper

    27 September 2021State or organisation: ArgentinaState or organisation: Costa RicaState or organisation: EcuadorState or organisation: El SalvadorState or organisation: PanamaState or organisation: PeruState or organisation: PhilippinesState or organisation: Sierra LeoneState or organisation: State of PalestineState or organisation: UruguayForum: GGE LAWS 2021

    9. … Our delegations are of the view that stronger focus should be given to the following principles, which should be the elements of a normative framework on LAWS: (j) … States should be transparent regarding all aspects of the development of their weapons systems, …