Philippines Elevates Voices from Indo-Pacific on Autonomous Weapons Systems

An event held  by the Philippines at the sidelines of the First Session of the 2024 Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems. (Geneva PM photo)

GENEVA 08 March 2024 – Highlighting the concerns and priorities of the countries in  the Indo-Pacific region, the Department of Foreign Affairs, in partnership with the  Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in Geneva,  held an event at the sidelines of the First Session of the 2024 Group of Governmental  Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons  Systems (GEE on LAWS) entitled “Charting the Course on Autonomous Weapons  Systems (AWS) Regulation: Voices from the Indo-Pacific”, on 04 March 2024.

In his opening remarks, Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva,  Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta stated that the Indo-Pacific is a “region of high tension”,  with flash points dispersed across the region. He observed that there seems to be “a  certain inevitability to the use of force”, hence, highlighting the importance of “staying  one step ahead” from the threat of the impact of AWS and working towards tangible  progress on measures to regulate autonomous weapons systems.

The side event featured a panel discussion where perspectives on the potential impact  of autonomous weapons systems (AWS) were shared, as well as the unique concerns  and issues of the Indo-Pacific region in relation to AWS, such as the effect of  autonomous weapons on maritime security and marine environment, its impact to the natural environment and ecology, and its influence on other weapons that could bring  massive destruction and fatalities.

The exchange elevated the concerns voiced out during the Manila Meeting on Indo Pacific Perspectives on Autonomous Weapons Systems, held on 13-14 December  2023, to the delegates in Geneva who are responsible for crafting measures to prohibit  and regulate autonomous weapons systems. 

Discussion on the ways forward followed the exchange on the effects and impact of  AWS on the Indo-Pacific region, wherein a need to socialize the issue on AWS further,  especially among countries that are not High Contracting Parties to the Convention on  Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) was raised. The importance of regional  leadership in pursuing such endeavors was also highlighted during the event.

The panel included Mr. Husham Ahmed, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of  Pakistan to the UN in Geneva, Mr. Tiana Melita Desker, Director for Strategic Futures  and Emerging Technologies of the Ministry of Defense of Singapore, and Mr. Reto  Wollenman, Deputy Head Section Arms Control, Disarmament and Cybersecurity of  the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. END

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