Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to the sixth Review Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, to be convened on 13 December:
I am pleased to send my greetings to the sixth Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.
For more than 40 years, the [Convention] has served as an essential humanitarian arms control instrument to protect civilians from the harm caused by conventional weapons.
It has codified rules and norms of international humanitarian law by placing concrete limits on warfare through the prohibition and regulation of specific weapon systems.
At a time when new risks are challenging traditional forms of conflict prevention and resolution, this Conference is a key opportunity to demonstrate the enduring relevance of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.
I see three areas for particular attention:
First, the [Convention] must promote a coordinated response to improvised explosive devices, mines and explosive remnants.
Second, it must swiftly advance its work on autonomous weapons that can choose targets and kill people without human interference.
I regret that the group of governmental experts could not consolidate the important work carried out this year within the framework of the Convention. I encourage the Review Conference to agree on an ambitious plan for the future to establish restrictions on the use of certain types of autonomous weapons.
Third, the [Convention] must be placed on a sound financial footing to ensure it remains a strong and agile instrument for disarmament today and in the future.
I wish you a successful conference.
