PH to Host First-Ever Regional Meet on Lethal Autonomous Weapons

MANILA 11 December 2023 – The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, will be hosting the first-ever Indo-Pacific regional meet on lethal autonomous weapons system (LAWS) on 13-14 December 2023 in Manila. 

According to Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Almojuela of the Office of United Nations and International Organizations, the PH hosting is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos’ call in September 2022 during the UN General Assembly for the international community to develop governance structures to prevent the weaponization of emerging technologies.

“We need to address these more complex, emerging issues. That is why we will be bringing together representatives from Indo-Pacific states, international NGOs, civil society, the academe and other sectoral representatives to discuss the implications of the use of autonomous weapons systems,” Asec. Almojuela said. 

The “Manila Meeting on Indo-Pacific Perspectives on Autonomous Weapons Systems”, is envisioned to surface and elevate the indo-pacific regional perspective on LAWS to the global conversation. Asec. Almojuela added to this by stating that the “discourse on lethal autonomous weapons systems and artificial intelligence is not just a conversation about technology; it's a critical dialogue about the ethical and moral implications of humanity's future.”

The Manila Meeting will consider the implications of the use of autonomy in weapons systems from ethical, moral, economic, social, and humanitarian dimensions from the point of view of the Indo-Pacific Region. The meeting offers an expanded platform for voices from civil society, industry, international law, as well as peace and security.

The Philippines is expected to host representatives from 26 states from the Indo-Pacific region, and 6 other observer states.

The Manila Meeting is organized in cooperation with the Department of National Defense and international NGO Nonviolence International Southeast Asia (NiSEA). END