Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has participated in all Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) meetings on autonomous weapons systems. Kazakhstan has stated that autonomous weapons systems ‘have the potential to challenge the most basic principles of international law, in particular the IHL. It remains to be proven that an autonomous weapons system would be able to comply with three fundamental IHL principles.’^[1]Statement by Kazakhstan, UN General Assembly First Committee, 23 October 2019, https://www.un.org/disarmament/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/statement-by-kazakhstan-cw-oct-24-19.pdf

Kazakhstan supports the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems. In 2021, Kazakhstan stated that ‘fully autonomous weapons (inflicting defeat without human control) should be prohibited’, and that while there is ‘a need for a common definition of lethal autonomous weapons systems’, the lack of a definition ‘should not impede the development of an appropriate regulatory and operational framework’.^[2]Contribution by Kazakhstan on possible consensus recommendations in relation to the clarification, consideration and development of aspects of the normative and operational framework on emerging … Continue reading At the 77th UN General Assembly First Committee meeting in October 2022, Kazakhstan said that ‘Another emerging area that requires attention is the fast-paced introduction of autonomous weapons systems with direct and indirect effects across the spectrum of disarmament and international security issues, including nuclear-weapon doctrines, outer space security, and cyber capabilities for hostile acts. We are aware that no weapon system could ever be capable of performing such judgments in conformity with humanitarian principles, as the application of international humanitarian law is predicated on human judgment and accountability.'^[3]Statement by Kazakhstan, UN General Assembly First Committee, 11 October 2022, https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com22/statements/11Oct_Kazakhstan.pdf

In 2018, Kazakhstan stated that ‘the need for preparation and adoption of certain forms of regulation for the LAWS sphere seems to be obvious’.^[4]Statement by Kazakhstan, UN General Assembly First Committee, 24 October 2018, https://www.un.org/disarmament/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/statement-by-khazakhstan-cw.pdf