Ministry Statements & Speeches:
Thank you, Chair.
Civilians continue to bear the brunt of conflict, including due to the use of conventional weapons. In the face of this, it is more important than ever to uphold and reinforce international humanitarian law, including the treaties governing conventional weapons.
Our actions and decisions can reduce combatant suffering, protect civilians, and mitigate against the worst effects of war.
New Zealand is a strong supporter of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Arms Trade Treaty, and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. We will once again support these treaties’ corresponding draft resolutions in this Committee, and we urge others to do the same.
These treaties are integral parts of the humanitarian law and disarmament architecture. They reduce human suffering, and they offer explicit protections to civilians in armed conflict. As the global security environment deteriorates, we must reinforce humanitarian disarmament instruments. In this regard, we urge Lithuania to reconsider its withdrawal from the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
We continue to condemn any and all use of cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines and oppose developments that would increase the likelihood of their use. We call for production, stockpiling, and transfers of these weapons to cease.
On a more positive note, we look forward to celebrating 25 years of the Mine Ban Treaty at the Fifth Review Conference in Siem Reap, in Cambodia this November. While there is still work to be done in ridding the world of these indiscriminate weapons, there is also much progress to celebrate.
We reiterate our call on States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty to fully comply with their obligations. We make the same call on CCW High Contracting Parties with respect to their obligations under its Protocols.
New Zealand was an early supporter of the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas. As conflicts waged in urban areas worsen and civilians are disproportionately impacted, we call on all States to join and give practical effect to this Declaration in their own policies and practices on explosive weapon use. This starts with acknowledgement of the harm these weapons are causing, as seen in conflicts such as in Ukraine and the Middle East. We also call on parties to these conflicts to facilitate rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need, and to assist civilian victims.
Chair, New Zealand is pleased to be a main sponsor of the resolution entitled “Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems”. The risks and challenges these systems pose warrants the attention and consideration of the full United Nations membership. We were encouraged by the broad support last year for the resolution led by Austria, and we look forward to continuing discussions on autonomous weapon systems in a comprehensive and inclusive way.
Similarly, we are pleased to see the leadership from the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea on bringing the important topic of Artificial Intelligence in the Military Domain before the General Assembly.
In closing, New Zealand wishes to highlight the continued contribution of civil society organisations and the roles they play in drawing attention to, and seeking to curb, the harmful impacts of conventional weapons. Their monitoring and advocacy, as well as the assistance they give to survivors and their communities, brings to the fore the real-world impacts these arms have, and the importance of improving human security. These perspectives remain critical in forums so often dominated by State-centric concerns.
I thank you, Chair.