New Zealand

Aotearoa New Zealand has participated in all Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (GGE on LAWS) meetings since 2016, and participated in the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting on autonomous weapons systems in May 2013.^[1]Stop Killer Robots, Report on outreach on the UN report on ‘lethal autonomous robotics’, July 2013. https://www.stopkillerrobots.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/KRC_ReportHeynsUN_Jul2013.pdf Aotearoa New Zealand supports the negotiation of a legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems.

During the March 2026 session of the CCW Group of Governmental Experts on lethal autonomous weapons systems (GGE on LAWS), Aotearoa New Zealand stated ‘we consider that the [rolling text] document provides a credible and practical basis for moving from exploratory discussions towards negotiation of an instrument.’ ^[2]Statement by New Zealand, CCW GGE on LAWS, 2 March 2026, … Continue reading

In December 2025, Aotearoa New Zealand co-sponsored and voted in favour of UN General Assembly Resolution 80/57 on lethal autonomous weapons systems. Mindful of the challenges and concerns autonomous weapons systems raise from humanitarian, legal, security, technological and ethical perspectives, Resolution 80/57 stresses the urgent need for the CCW to address the challenges and concerns posed by autonomous weapons systems, and calls upon the High Contracting Parties of the CCW to ‘work towards completing the set of elements for an instrument being developed within the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts, with a view to future negotiation.’

At the CCW GGE on LAWS in September 2025, Aotearoa New Zealand joined a group of 42 states delivering a joint statement calling for the group to begin negotiations of an instrument on the basis of its ‘rolling text,’ and stating that they were ready to do this.

At the 79th UN General Assembly First Committee in October 2024, Aotearoa New Zealand co-sponsored and voted in favour ofDraft Resolution L.77 on lethal autonomous weapons systems. Draft Resolution L.77 raises concerns about the ‘negative consequences and impact of autonomous weapon systems on global security and regional and international stability’ and stresses ‘the importance of the role of humans in the use of force to ensure responsibility and accountability and for States to comply with international law.’ It also notes ‘the repeated calls by the Secretary-General to urgently conclude negotiations of a legally binding instrument with prohibitions and regulations for autonomous weapons systems, in line with a two-tier approach.’ The Resolution will convene open informal consultations in 2025 over two days in New York, ‘to consider the report of the Secretary-General in full complementarity with and in a manner that supports the fulfilment of the mandate of the Group of Governmental Experts in order to further the international community’s understanding of the issues involved by discussing the full range of views received, including proposals and relevant aspects raised in the report that may thus far not have been discussed in detail in the Group of Governmental Experts.’

Speaking at the UN General Assembly First Committee in October 2024, Aotearoa New Zealand stressed that ‘the risks and challenges these systems [autonomous weapons] pose warrants the attention and consideration of the full United Nations membership.’ ^[3]Statement by New Zealand, 79th UNGA First Committee, 23 October 2024 New Zealand also underlined that ‘we need clear rules and limits on certain new technologies in view of their risks’, and said that it ‘continues to call for urgent action on autonomous weapon systems.'^[4]Statement by New Zealand, 79th UNGA First Committee, 08 October 2024

Aotearoa New Zealand made a submission to the UN Secretary-General pursuant to Resolution 78/241 on autonomous weapons systems in May 2024.

In December 2023, Aotearoa New Zealand voted in support of UN General Assembly Resolution 78/241 on lethal autonomous weapons systems. Resolution 78/241 stressed the ‘urgent need for the international community to address the challenges and concerns raised by autonomous weapons systems’, and mandated the UN Secretary-General to prepare a report, reflecting the views of member and observer states on autonomous weapons systems and ways to address the related challenges and concerns they raise from humanitarian, legal, security, technological and ethical perspectives and on the role of humans in the use of force. In the same meeting, New Zealand said that ‘states need to meaningfully accelerate their progress toward appropriate, binding international rules and limits.^[5]Statement by Aotearoa New Zealand, 78th UN General Assembly First Committee, 03 October 2023, … Continue reading 

At the 77th UN General Assembly First Committee meeting in October 2022, Aotearoa New Zealand said that ‘The rapid development of autonomous weapons systems (AWS) pose serious legal, ethical and security challenges. Addressing these concerns through new, legally binding rules and limits is one of the most pressing items on the disarmament agenda. A majority of states want to see real progress made on AWS through new prohibitions, rules, and limits.'^[6]Statement by Aotearoa New Zealand, 77th UN General Assembly First Committee, 21 October 2022, https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com22/statements/21Oct_NZ.pdf

At the 77th UN General Assembly First Committee meeting in October 2022, Aotearoa New Zealand expressed its concern at the ‘inadequate progress made in efforts to agree meaningful progress on autonomous weapons systems within the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons’, and stressed that ‘that forum must meaningfully translate the development of substantive understandings over prohibitions, rules and limits into formal, agreed progress. We regret that some states are frustrating the efforts of a growing majority of the international community in this regard—on limits needed urgently to ensure that any development and deployment of such weapons is consistent with international humanitarian law and relevant ethical principles.’ ^[7]Statement by Aotearoa New Zealand, 77th UN General Assembly First Committee, 06 October 2022, https://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com22/statements/6Oct_NZ.pdf

On 14 October 2021, during the UN General Assembly First Committee meeting, Aotearoa New Zealand stated that ‘The CCW must also keep pace and be responsive to technological developments. Addressing the serious ethical, legal and strategic concerns posed by autonomous weapons systems is one of the most pressing disarmament issues of our time, and achieving the necessary prohibitions, limits and controls is a key priority for New Zealand’.^[8]Statement by Aotearoa New Zealand, UN General Assembly First Committee meeting, 14 October 2021, … Continue reading

In November 2021, Aotearoa New Zealand adopted a policy position on autonomous weapons systems, which states that ‘Aotearoa New Zealand will advocate for a legally-binding instrument to articulate these rules or limits, and will also support interim steps and measures such as non-legally binding guidelines, declarations or norms, without prejudice to the future adoption of legally binding measures. Aotearoa New Zealand will engage actively in efforts to identify appropriately nuanced prohibitions, controls and restrictions, recognising that a range of controls may be required for autonomous weapons systems that occupy different points along the spectrum of autonomy.’^[9]Autonomous Weapons Systems: New Zealand Policy Position and Approach for International Engagement, November 2021. … Continue reading