While our Key Developments feature has had a short hiatus, much has happened over the past several months. The Mine Ban Treaty, a foundational humanitarian disarmament instrument, has faced challenges in the form of state party withdrawals and a suspension. Efforts to create new international law, particularly on autonomous weapons systems, however, have continued to gradually advance. Commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki serve as reminders of the need for humanitarian disarmament and international law, even if they are not panaceas.
In case you missed it:
- The 2025 Preparatory Committee to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) met in New York from April 28–May 9. States parties selected Vietnam as president of the 2026 Review Conference. They failed, however, to reach the consensus necessary to formally adopt draft recommendations for next year’s conference. Additionally, the chair of the Preparatory Committee was unable to secure approval for a draft decision that sought to “strengthen the [conference’s] review process.” Read the Preparatory Committee’s procedural report here and Reaching Critical Will’s NPT News in Review coverage of the conference here.
- On May 12–13, states, civil society groups, international organizations, and other experts convened at the UN in New York for informal consultations on autonomous weapons systems, pursuant to UN General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 79/62. Delegates discussed a range of topics that went beyond those covered at Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) meetings, including human rights, ethical, security, and technological concerns. Most participants advocated for the negotiation of a treaty that prohibits and regulates autonomous weapons systems. Read Reaching Critical Will’s reports on the meeting here.
- A side event at the informal UNGA consultations addressed the legal risks of autonomous weapons systems and the need for a treaty. It featured speakers from Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Stop Killer Robots. Human Rights Watch presented its new report A Hazard to Human Rights: Autonomous Weapons Systems and Digital Decision-Making. See the UN WebTV recording here.
- On May 15, the UN Secretary-General (UNSG) submitted his annual report regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflict to the UN Security Council. He noted that 36,000 civilians had died in 14 conflicts in 2024. The use of explosive weapons in populated areas caused a large portion of those deaths and particularly affected children. Explosive ordnance, including from landmines and cluster munitions, impeded movement and farming, which inter alia, affected food supplies. He urged states to endorse and implement the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas “without delay.” The UNSG also called on states to adopt a new legally binding instrument with prohibitions and regulations on autonomous weapons systems by 2026.
- The Informal Preparatory Meeting for the 11th Conference of States Parties (CSP11) to the Arms Trade Treaty was held on May 20–21 in Geneva. The CSP11 president issued a draft working paper exploring the upcoming conference’s theme, “Universalization as a priority.” Working groups released draft reports detailing the progress made since CSP10 on Effective Treaty Implementation, Transparency and Reporting, and Treaty Universalization.
- On June 3, Human Rights Watch released a report entitled Hunted From Above: Russia’s Use of Drones to Attack Civilians in Kherson, Ukraine. This report examines attacks carried out by Russian forces “using small, easily maneuverable quadcopter drones armed with explosive weapons, including grenades and antipersonnel landmines, as well as incendiary weapons.” Such Russian attacks caused hundreds of civilian casualties from June–December 2024 in Kherson, a front-line city in southern Ukraine. Human Rights Watch found many of the attacks “appeared to deliberately target civilians or civilian objects.” View the interactive web feature accompanying the report here.
- The 2025 Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Meetings took place in Geneva from June 17–20. The meetings addressed such topics as mine risk education and reduction, how to finance action against mines, and “[s]trengthening synergies between the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and the Women and Peace Security agenda.” Statements from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines–Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC) are available here.
- On June 25, Tonga became the 166th state to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty. ICBL-CMC regards this development as “a pivotal step in Pacific-led humanitarian disarmament.” The Mine Ban Treaty will formally take effect in Tonga on December 1, 2025.
- On June 27, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania deposited their instruments of withdrawal from the Mine Ban Treaty with the UN. Finland did the same on July 14, and Poland followed suit on August 20. These instruments will take full effect on the first day of the sixth month after they were deposited.
- On July 18, Ukraine informed the UN of its decision to suspend its operation of the Mine Ban Treaty. According to ICBL-CMC, Human Rights Watch, and others, the treaty does not permit such suspensions, particularly during armed conflict.
- On August 6 and 9, 2025, ceremonies in Hiroshima and Nagasaki marked the 80th anniversary of the US atomic bombings. In Hiroshima, people from 120 countries gathered for a moment of silence, speeches calling on young people to work for peace, and the release of white doves. Nihon Hidankyo, the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization of hibakusha (survivors), stated, “We don’t have much time left, while we face a greater nuclear threat than ever…. Our biggest challenge now is to change nuclear weapons states … even just a little.” The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) marked the anniversary by sharing survivors’ testimonies online and releasing a Children’s Peace Memorial, which tells the stories of 431 children who died in the bombings.
- On August 25–29, delegations convened in Geneva for CSP11 to the Arms Trade Treaty. Much of the discussion revolved around the role which the arms trade currently plays in exacerbating armed conflicts in Gaza and around the world. Read Reaching Critical Will’s analysis of the conference here, and view the final report here.
- At the time of this post’s writing, the CCW Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems was finishing its second session of the year in Geneva.
Looking ahead, the Meeting of Experts of CCW Protocol V on Explosive Remnants of War will take place in Geneva on September 8, and the Group of Experts Meeting for CCW Amended Protocol II on Mines, Booby-Traps, and Other Devices will follow on September 9-10. The 13th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions will convene in Geneva from September 16–19. The annual UNGA High-Level General Debate opens on September 23, and the 80th session of the UNGA First Committee on Disarmament and International Security begins on October 8.
This post expresses the views of the author and does not purport to represent the views of Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic or Harvard University.