UN talks fail to reach agreement on banning ‘killer robots’

The sixth review conference of the UN Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW), taking place over five days in Geneva, could not reach an agreement on LAWS after both Russia and the USA opposed a ban.

Human rights campaigners have urged the UN to take a firm stance against so-called “killer robots” after nearly eight years of inter-governmental talks which they should should result in a treaty comparable to those on landmines and cluster munitions.

Verity Coyle, senior advisor at Amnesty International, part of the Stop Killer Robots coalition, said: “As research and testing of these weapons presses forward, the window of opportunity to regulate grows ever smaller.

“The CCW has once again demonstrated its inability to make meaningful progress – it’s now time that committed states take the lead on an external process that can deliver the type of breakthrough we’ve previously seen on landmines and cluster munitions.”

Richard Moyes, coordinator at Stop Killer Robots, added: “Government leaders need to draw a moral and legal line for humanity against the killing of people by machines.

“A clear majority of states see the need to ensure meaningful human control over the use of force. It’s time now for them to lead in order to prevent the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of killer robots.”