EMERGING MILITARY TECHNOLOGIES VIS-À-VIS HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS

As part of its mission to analyze and decipher complex issues, the Royal Institute for Strategic Studies (IRES) organized an international conference on November 20, 2024, entitled "EMERGING MILITARY TECHNOLOGIES VIS-À-VIS HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNS".

This scientific event brought together eminent Moroccan personalities, namely Ms. Amina BOUAYACH, President of the National Council for Human Rights, Ms. Amal EL FALLAH SEGHROUCHNI, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of digital transition and administrative reform, Ambassador Omar ZNIBER, Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva and President of the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2024, as well as officials from the National Defense Administration, the General Directorate of National Security and the Interministerial Delegation for Human Rights.

The conference was also attended by leading international figures, such as Mr. Javier PALUMMO LANTES, President of the Advisory Committee of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, and leaders of international think tanks, including Major General Philippe BOUTINAUD, Security and Strategy Advisor at the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF), Mr. Xavier PASCO, Director of the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS) and Ms. Laura BRUUN, Manager of the "Governance of Artificial Intelligence" program at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

At the heart of the debates were the issues of the exponential evolution of military technologies, from drones to cyber warfare, including autonomous weapons, which are disrupting traditional paradigms of war, as well as the challenges these technologies pose for international law, particularly with regard to respect for international humanitarian law.

During this conference, participants highlighted the importance of putting in place appropriate control mechanisms for the ethical use of advanced military technologies, while ensuring the preservation of human rights. It was emphasized that international law is still struggling to keep pace with military innovations and that the implementation of effective legal frameworks remains a major challenge.

At the end of this meeting, the discussions and debates resulted, in a collective intelligence approach, in the emergence of some innovative ideas for advanced military development in Morocco, respectful of international humanitarian law, and for a better positioning of the Kingdom within global and regional bodies.