First Committee, 19th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session
Thematic discussion on specific subjects and introduction and consideration of all draft resolutions and decisions submitted under agenda items (from 92 to 109)
A/C.1/81/L.1, A/C.1/81/L.2, A/C.1/81/L.3, A/C.1/81/L.4, A/C.1/81/L.7, A/C.1/81/L.10, A/C.1/81/L.11, A/C.1/81/L.12, A/C.1/81/L.13, A/C.1/81/L.14, A/C.1/81/L.17, A/C.1/81/L.30, A/C.1/81/L.31, A/C.1/81/L.34, A/C.1/81/L.36, A/C.1/81/L.38, A/C.1/81/L.40 A/C.1/81/L.41, A/C.1/81/L.44, A/C.1/81/L.46, A/C.1/81/L.49, A/C.1/81/L.51, A/C.1/81/L.52, A/C.1/81/L.54, A/C.1/81/L.55, A/C.1/81/L.57, A/C.1/81/L.58, A/C.1/81/L.59, A/C.1/81/L.64, A/C.1/81/L.65, A/C.1/81/L.68, A/C.1/81/L.70
Speaking timeChair (12.2%) ยท Indonesia (3.7%) ยท Saint Kitts and Nevis (2.4%) + 46 more ยท Unattributed (7.8%)
First Committee, 19th meeting of the 81st session. Agenda items taken up: โThematic discussion on specific subjects and introduction and consideration of all draft resolutions and decisions submitted under agenda items (from 92 to 109)โ; โA/C.1/81/L.1, A/C.1/81/L.2, A/C.1/81/L.3, A/C.1/81/L.4, A/C.1/81/L.7, A/C.1/81/L.10, A/C.1/81/L.11, A/C.1/81/L.12, A/C.1/81/L.13, A/C.1/81/L.14, A/C.1/81/L.17, A/C.1/81/L.30, A/C.1/81/L.31, A/C.1/81/L.34, A/C.1/81/L.36, A/C.1/81/L.38, A/C.1/81/L.40 A/C.1/81/L.41, A/C.1/81/L.44, A/C.1/81/L.46, A/C.1/81/L.49, A/C.1/81/L.51, A/C.1/81/L.52, A/C.1/81/L.54, A/C.1/81/L.55, A/C.1/81/L.57, A/C.1/81/L.58, A/C.1/81/L.59, A/C.1/81/L.64, A/C.1/81/L.65, A/C.1/81/L.68, A/C.1/81/L.70โ. 46 speakers were heard, representing 45 delegations.
Points of disagreement
Bahrain recalled that the Security Council, through resolution 2817, condemned Iranian attacks against Bahrain and other states in the region, and said these attacks must cease and resolutions must be complied with.
Islamic Republic of Iran condemned what it called unlawful cyber operations by the United States and the Israeli regime, stating that over 100 cyberattacks were launched daily against Iran's critical infrastructure and civilian services during the February 2026 aggression, and called on all states to hold the perpetrators accountable.
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, condemned Russia's actions to destabilize the global architecture, the deployment of the DPRK's military forces against Ukraine, and Iran's attacks against regional states and ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which it called unjustifiable.
Key points
Greece stated that emerging technologies offer opportunities to prevent conflict, protect civilians and support peace, while misuse of such technologies, ransomware and sophisticated cyber attacks pose significant risks to international peace and security.
United States proposed a resolution on compliance, streamlined from its 2021 version, and asked that States vote for it as a sign of unity and a message that violators will be held accountable under international law and the UN Charter.
Qatar stressed that rapid developments in digital applications, including AI, require a strong infrastructure for ICT to promote cybersecurity, and highlighted the role of a national ICT security agency set up in 2021 to protect cybersecurity and vital infrastructure and confront cyber attacks.
Statement by statement ยท 44 speakers
๐ฆ๐ฟ Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan welcomed the establishment and commencement of the work of the global mechanism, as well as the able stewardship of its chair.
๐ฐ๐ช Kenya
Kenya welcomed inclusive, transparent and multilateral approaches to governing emerging technologies, grounded in international law and responsible state behavior, and supported global mechanisms on ICTs.
Kenya underscored the importance of maintaining meaningful human accountability in decisions with security implications while strengthening confidence building to reduce risks.
๐ฆ๐บ Australia
Australia supported a unified approach under the leadership of the Chair and the procedural resolution tabled by El Salvador at this year's first committee, and called on Member States to preserve the global mechanism as the only appropriate forum for substantive cyber discussions at the UN.
Australia stated Australia is committed to the responsible use of AI in the military domain and to international norms and standards that are inclusive, pragmatic and grounded in existing international law, and that multilateral export control regimes are a vital global good to address proliferation risks.
๐จ๐ฒ Cameroon
Cameroon stated that disarmament is measured not only by weapons eliminated but also by conflicts prevented, tensions de-escalated and trust built among states, and that security and development are mutually reinforcing.
๐ท๐บ Russian Federation
Russian Federation welcomed the launch of a permanent global mechanism on ICTs, and said a draft resolution on ICTs had been submitted together with Belarus, Burkina Faso, Iran, China, the DPRK, Cuba, Laos, Mali, Niger, and Nicaragua.
Russian Federation stated that international law, including international humanitarian law, applies to the military use of AI, and that ensuring human control over AI-enabled weapon systems is an important constraint, with forms and methods of control remaining at states' discretion.
๐ธ๐ณ Senegal
Senegal supported all initiatives to craft binding norms guaranteeing AI use in accordance with international law and the universal principles of humanity and responsibility, and stated there is a need for inclusive governance of this technology.
Senegal welcomed the establishment of the global mechanism on cybersecurity and highlighted the need to preserve its inclusive and consensus-based nature and to make headway on the application of international law.
๐ท๐ผ Rwanda
Rwanda welcomed the progress achieved through the OEWG and the establishment of the global mechanism, stating that the priority now should be to translate commitments into practical measures at national and regional levels.
Rwanda emphasized the importance of capacity building as an integral part of the framework for responsible state behavior, requiring sustained technical assistance, stronger national institutions and access to relevant expertise for developing countries.
๐ฎ๐ณ India
India introduced a resolution on the role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament, which calls for greater international cooperation in the peaceful use of science and technology and for a UN system-wide assessment of the impact of technological change on international security.
India stated that India hosted the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, that the resulting New Delhi Declaration on AI impact has been endorsed by 89 countries and international organizations, and that India remains committed to an open, secure, stable, and peaceful ICT environment.
๐ต๐ญ Philippines
Philippines reiterated that international law, including the UN Charter, applies fully to cyberspace, and welcomed the establishment of a single-track, state driven global mechanism on developments in the field of ICTs.
Philippines called for negotiating a universally applicable, legally binding instrument on autonomous weapons systems, establishing clear prohibitions and regulations while preserving meaningful human control, human judgment, and ultimate responsibility in the use of force.
๐ฟ๐ฆ South Africa
South Africa welcomed the launch of the global mechanism and the constructive dialogue between member states within it, and said the focus should be on implementing the existing UN framework of 11 agreed norms, rules and principles and the eight confidence building measures.
South Africa supported the proposed broad and overarching theme of protecting critical infrastructure from ICT threats and strengthening resilience for the December thematic groups.
๐จ๐ญ Switzerland
Switzerland said the development and use of AI in the military domain needed to be done in accordance with international law and applicable norms, and supported the draft resolution decision to hold more focused consultations, while it would have preferred a more ambitious process.
Switzerland welcomed the establishment of the permanent UN global mechanism on ICT, expressed concern that two resolutions had been submitted which could undermine it, and supported a single track process with the chair's draft resolution as the sole resolution.
๐ป๐ช Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela stated that information and communication technologies are crucial tools to promote sustainable development, international cooperation and well-being, and that cyberspace must be preserved as an environment favouring cooperation, mutual understanding and development, avoiding actions affecting peace, stability and international security.
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela welcomed the progress made by the global mechanism, expecting it to develop as an intergovernmental forum guided by consensus and to give particular attention to national capacity building, international cooperation and technical assistance.
๐ฉ๐ฟ Algeria
Algeria stressed that the use of ICTs must fully respect the UN Charter and international law, namely the principles of sovereignty, equality, non-interference, and the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Algeria called for implementation of voluntary norms for voluntary state behaviour, while continuing to develop other norms, including legally binding commitments.
๐น๐ญ Thailand
Thailand expressed concern that cyberspace was increasingly becoming a domain of conflict, and stated that technology was advancing faster than the ability to establish common rules.
Thailand highlighted three priorities: strengthening international frameworks and translating them into action; upholding human responsibility and accountability in the military use of emerging technologies; and ensuring inclusion, with developing countries having an equal voice.
๐ต๐น Portugal
Portugal welcomed the establishment of the global mechanism and the appointment of Mrs. Egrizelda Lopez as its chair, and said it hoped the DTGs could be an inclusive platform including the private sector and academia.
Portugal stated that international law was already fully applicable to cyberspace, and that discussions should be oriented to action, focusing on implementation of agreed voluntary norms of responsible state behavior and accelerating capacity building.
๐ณ๐ฟ New Zealand
New Zealand welcomed the positive start made by the new UN Global Mechanism on Cybersecurity and the resolution prepared by the Chair of the Global Mechanism, and said a supplementary resolution was not considered necessary or appropriate.
New Zealand called for avoiding parallel or divisive initiatives that could fragment discussions or undermine the consensus on which the global mechanism was established, and for close engagement with industry, technical experts, academia and civil society.
๐ฎ๐ช Ireland
Ireland supported the Chair's draft technical resolution on the mechanism, and expressed deep concern about the separate proposal for a resolution on ICTs, which it said distracts attention from the mechanism's work and may lead to duplicated efforts.
Ireland stressed the importance of international cooperation to mitigate the dangers of artificial intelligence in the military domain, and that human judgment and control over the use of force remains indispensable in all circumstances.
๐ต๐ฐ Pakistan
Pakistan stressed that without effective human judgment and control, military AI systems increase the risks of miscalculation and escalation, lower the threshold for the use of force and erode compliance with IHL, and that the decision to employ nuclear weapons must always remain in human hands.
๐ง๐ท Brazil
Brazil supported the draft resolution presented by the delegation of the mechanism's chair, Ambassador Egrisel da Lopez of El Salvador, and looked forward to its adoption by consensus.
Brazil stressed that the consensus behind the Global Mechanism on ICT security must be preserved, that initiatives duplicating or fragmenting its work should be avoided, and that all proposals and concerns should be addressed within the mechanism as the single track state led forum.
๐ซ๐ท France
France welcomed the progress made under the Salvadoran chairmanship and called on all states to actively support the exclusively procedural resolution which the chair is tabling.
๐ฒ๐ฉ Republic of Moldova
Republic of Moldova stated that the Republic of Moldova remained committed to promoting an open, secure, stable, and peaceful cyberspace in accordance with international law, and stressed that trust, transparency, and confidence building were essential to strengthening security in cyberspace.
Republic of Moldova welcomed the first session of the G-Mech, commended the leadership of its chair, and supported a consensus based approach to the chair's draft resolution with a single document on ICT security in the first committee.
๐ช๐น Ethiopia
Ethiopia emphasized that capacity building must remain at the center of international efforts on cyber stability and emerging technologies, noting that developing countries require sustained support and face a widening digital divide.
Ethiopia supported confidence building measures among states and efforts promoting the responsible development and use of artificial intelligence; it viewed the global mechanism as an important step towards regular institutional dialogue.
๐ธ๐ฆ Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia emphasized that cybersecurity is a critical priority and that multilateral cooperation must be strengthened through national, regional, and international partnerships focused on capacity building and knowledge sharing in support of peace and security.
Saudi Arabia welcomed the establishment of the global mechanism in the context of international security, describing it as a permanent platform that shows what can be achieved when consensus and political will are brought to bear.
๐ง๐ญ Bahrain
Bahrain reiterated its commitment, made two years ago at the General Assembly, to the adoption of an international, binding convention on the use of AI in the military domain.
Bahrain recalled that the Security Council, through resolution 2817, condemned Iranian attacks against Bahrain and other states in the region, and said these attacks must cease and resolutions must be complied with.
๐จ๐บ Cuba
Cuba reiterated its conviction that general and complete disarmament, with nuclear disarmament as the highest priority, remains the only real guarantee of international security.
Cuba called for negotiation of an international legally binding instrument prohibiting the militarization of cyberspace and outer space, and for a United Nations monitoring and follow-up framework on the military dimension of artificial intelligence with participation of all states on an equal footing.
๐ฒ๐ฟ Mozambique
Mozambique called for urgent regulation of the military use of unmanned aerial vehicles combined with Artificial intelligence, and quick regulation and stronger international cooperation on cybersecurity and the use of AI.
Mozambique stressed that international law, including the United Nations Charter, applies to the responsible use of information and communication technology by states, and that critical infrastructure and essential services must be safeguarded against malicious cyber activity.
๐ฌ๐ท Greece
Greece stated that emerging technologies offer opportunities to prevent conflict, protect civilians and support peace, while misuse of such technologies, ransomware and sophisticated cyber attacks pose significant risks to international peace and security.
Greece welcomed the Secretary-General's report on AI in the military domain and the relevant informal consultations held earlier this year in Geneva.
๐ฒ๐ฒ Myanmar
Myanmar said disarmament and development were mutually reinforcing, and that resources devoted to excessive military expenditure should instead be directed towards poverty eradication, education, healthcare and sustainable development.
Myanmar expressed concern about the proliferation of online scam operations, which it said involved human trafficking and forced labor and pose serious threats to regional and international security.
๐ธ๐ป El Salvador
El Salvador stressed that capacity building is the linchpin of the endeavour, not assistance or charity but an investment in collective security, since no state is safer than the weakest link in the chain.
El Salvador said that El Salvador was honoured to chair the first biennium of the global mechanism, that the chair belongs to the process and serves all member states, and that the process must remain intergovernmental in nature.
๐ฒ๐ช Montenegro
Montenegro emphasized that international law, including the UN Charter and international humanitarian law, fully applies in cyberspace.
๐บ๐ธ United States
United States proposed a resolution on compliance, streamlined from its 2021 version, and asked that States vote for it as a sign of unity and a message that violators will be held accountable under international law and the UN Charter.
United States stated that the UN is not the appropriate forum for discussions on superintelligence in the military domain, which it said would inevitably turn toward attempts to restrict innovation.
๐ฉ๐ด Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic underscored the importance of the global mechanism on ICTs in the context of international security as an inclusive forum to promote dialogue, cooperation and the exchange of good practices, particularly capacity building for developing countries, and of the upcoming thematic group meeting scheduled for December.
Dominican Republic stated that decisions related to the use of force must remain under human responsibility and control, and that it was in favour of a binding framework to govern artificial intelligence and autonomous systems in the military domain.
๐ฏ๐ต Japan
Japan welcomed the launch of the global mechanism and said it looked forward to constructive discussions based on an action-oriented and cross-cutting approach.
Japan expressed concern about another resolution which would be in direct competition with the Chair's procedural resolution.
๐บ๐ฆ Ukraine
Ukraine welcomed the procedural draft resolution presented by El Salvador as chair, saying it marks the launch of the UN global mechanism on ICTs in the context of international security and leaves substantive discussions to member states within the agreed framework.
๐ฒ๐ป Maldives
Maldives stated that in 2024 the Maldives established national cybersecurity agencies, developed a cybersecurity strategy and introduced legislation in Parliament to improve its capacity to prevent and respond to cyber threats.
Maldives called for practical assistance for developing countries, including training, technical cooperation, information sharing, and support for national incident response.
๐ถ๐ฆ Qatar
Qatar stressed that rapid developments in digital applications, including AI, require a strong infrastructure for ICT to promote cybersecurity, and highlighted the role of a national ICT security agency set up in 2021 to protect cybersecurity and vital infrastructure and confront cyber attacks.
Qatar supported the open-ended working group mechanism and stressed the need for an intergovernmental framework in its work; it looked forward to the substantive meetings to be held from 7 to 11 December of this year in New York.
๐ฟ๐ผ Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe welcomed the transition to the single-track, permanent, and state-led global mechanism and the constructive start made during its first substantive session in July 2026.
Zimbabwe expressed concern about malicious ICT activity affecting critical infrastructure, the growing use of ransomware, commercially available intrusion capabilities, and increasingly sophisticated social engineering techniques.
๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom
United Kingdom reiterated the importance of maintaining a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace, and fully supported the establishment of the Global Mechanism on ICTs and El Salvador's resolution presented this year.
United Kingdom expressed concern over hostile information operations, and said AI risks multiplying these threats by increasing the speed, scale and sophistication with which hostile actors like Russia can target societies, institutions and democratic processes.
๐ฟ๐ฒ Zambia
Zambia expressed concern about the growing potential for cyberspace to become an arena for strategic competition, coercion, and conflict.
Zambia underscored the need for strengthened international cooperation on interconnected threats, while maintaining a distinction between cybercrime as a criminal matter and cyber operations attributable to states under international law.
๐ฎ๐ท Islamic Republic of Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran condemned what it called unlawful cyber operations by the United States and the Israeli regime, stating that over 100 cyberattacks were launched daily against Iran's critical infrastructure and civilian services during the February 2026 aggression, and called on all states to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Islamic Republic of Iran stressed that additional norms and legally binding obligations must be elaborated, prioritized by the first DTG, and that voluntary norms cannot substitute for legally binding rules.
๐บ๐พ Uruguay
Uruguay reaffirmed its commitment to the global mechanism of the United Nations on ICTs, stressing the need to preserve the consensus achieved in the OEWG, avoid fragmentation and duplication of efforts, and focus on substantive discussions and cooperation initiatives.
๐จ๐ฑ Chile
Chile underscored the importance of establishing the UN global mechanism on the security of ICTs, and said progress from commitments to effective implementation was vital, including capacity building, particularly in developing countries, with assistance based on needs identified by states themselves.
Chile reaffirmed that the development and use of AI in the military domain must accord with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law, and guarantee appropriate levels of human control and judgment.
๐ฑ๐ท Liberia
Liberia stressed that technology must never remove human responsibility from decisions on the use of force, and called for the Seventh Review Conference in November to endorse the consensus report's set of elements and agree by consensus on future work on lethal autonomous weapons systems.
Liberia supported the draft resolutions on disarmament and nonproliferation education, on the United Nations Disarmament Fellowship, on women in disarmament, nonproliferation and arms control, and on the relationship between disarmament and development.
European Union ยท on behalf of European Union and its Member States
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, reaffirmed full support for the establishment of a zone free of nuclear and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, and continued support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, condemned Russia's actions to destabilize the global architecture, the deployment of the DPRK's military forces against Ukraine, and Iran's attacks against regional states and ships in the Strait of Hormuz, which it called unjustifiable.
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