Submission on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems to the United Nations Secretary-General by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy
Submission on Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems to the United Nations Secretary-General by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy
The Geneva Centre for Security Policy is an international foundation with 30 years of experience in the fields of peace and security. Through dialogue, executive education, and research it endeavours to contribute to building a more peaceful world. In the face of a worsening global security environment, the GCSP is concerned about the role that emerging technologies can play in exacerbating, and creating, international security issues. Pursuant to resolution 78/241 “Lethal autonomous weapon systems”, adopted by the General Assembly on December 22nd, 2023, the GCSP makes this submission leveraging its research activities in the area of international security, disarmament, and emerging technologies as well as inputs from expert contributors. It reflects some of the GCSP’s key concerns with regards to the trajectory of both the development and deployment of Lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) and of related regulatory efforts.
Mr Federico Mantellassi is a Research and Project Officer for the Global and Emerging Risks Cluster at the GCSP. He is also the Project Coordinator of the GCSP’s Polymath Initiative.
Simon Cleobury is Head of Arms Control and Disarmament. He is a former British Deputy Disarmament Ambassador (2017 – 2023), where he represented the UK at the Conference on Disarmament and other disarmament fora in Geneva. Prior to that he worked in the Security Council Team and then the Peacebuilding Team at the UK Mission to the UN in New York (2012 – 2016). Prior to his diplomatic career, he was a corporate lawyer with global law firm Baker McKenzie. Simon obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Modern History at University College London and a Master’s Degree in Historical Research from Oxford University. He studied law at BPP Law School, London.
Jean-Marc Rickli is Head of Global and Emerging Risks and the Polymath Initiative at the GCSP. Among other positions, he is also the co-chair of the Emerging Security Challenges Working Group of the NATO Partnership for Peace Consortium.
Nicolò Borgesano is an Assistant Programme Officer, Security and Law at the GCSP.