Kuwait: Necessity to strengthen legal frameworks and international oversight on the use of modern technologies in the military field

Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva affirmed on Monday the need to strengthen legal frameworks and international oversight of the use of modern technologies in the military domain, ensuring the principles of transparency, accountability, and human oversight, and safeguarding human rights. This was stated in a statement delivered by Second Secretary Badr Al-Dajee Al-Mutairi to the Human Rights Council, during its 63rd session in Geneva, as part of the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries.

Al-Mutairi noted that Kuwait has directly witnessed the dangers of misusing such technologies and modern military capabilities during the Iranian military attack it suffered, which resulted in the targeting of civilian and critical infrastructure and endangered the safety and security of civilians. She highlighted the rapid advancement in the use of modern technologies, including drones, artificial intelligence, and surveillance technologies, which pose increasing challenges, emphasizing the necessity of preventing the deployment of technology in ways that threaten human rights, state sovereignty, security, and stability.

Kuwait reiterated its call for strengthening international cooperation, closing legal gaps, and ensuring accountability for violations resulting from the misuse of these technologies, in accordance with the provisions of international law and international humanitarian law.