The Military Transformations Programme (MTP) at RSIS and Singapore’s Ministry of Defence co-organised a regional consultation workshop with the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) for the Asia-Pacific region on the application of international humanitarian law (IHL) to lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS) from 11 to 13 February 2025.
The workshop was part of a series of regional consultations facilitated by UNIDIR to identify existing debates and best practices. Defence, legal, and foreign affairs officials from 16 countries, including Singapore, participated in the consultation, which aimed to foster regional dialogue on IHL and its applicability to LAWS.
Ambassador Rena Lee from Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered the keynote address. Drawing on her experience with the landmark Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, she emphasised that progress on arms control and disarmament remains possible despite the technical and contested nature of the issue.
Day 1 featured three panel discussions focused on knowledge-building. The first examined the development, acquisition, and use of LAWS in the military domain, addressing technological limitations and the key drivers behind their integration into warfare. The second panel explored the various international legal frameworks applicable to LAWS and highlighted key IHL rules governing their use before, during, and after an attack. The final panel focused on governance efforts and initiatives related to LAWS and military AI.
On Day 2, participants discussed four scenarios that were designed to envision the potential use of LAWS in various domains, including the land and maritime contexts. These exercises helped participants to explore the legal challenges posed by LAWS, particularly concerning IHL compliance during targeting operations, accountability, and human oversight. The discussions also provided an opportunity for the participants to assess the operational implications of LAWS and consider possible safeguards, such as integrating self-deactivation or self-destruction capabilities into these systems.
During the third and final day, participants engaged in group and plenary discussions on issues that emerged from engaging with the four scenarios during the previous day. The discussions were divided into three parts: the first focused on the characterisation of LAWS, the second involved an exchange of ideas on key measures to ensure compliance with IHL, and the final part centred on suggestions for an outcome document based on these consultations.
The Asia-Pacific consultation workshop marked the conclusion of UNIDIR’s regional consultation series. MTP’s collaboration with UNIDIR on this workshop builds on an ongoing effort to support dialogue at both the Track 2 and Track 1.5 levels on military AI governance, particularly in the Asian context.
