State dossier
United Arab Emirates
ARE · UNITED ARAB EMIRATES · on the world map
What does it want?
Position: keep it in Geneva (CCW-ONLY). Supports continuing the consensus process in the Geneva weapons convention, and has not said what it should produce.
Keep it in Geneva (CCW-ONLY), since 2026-09-03, interpreted (INFERRED)
The United Arab Emirates abstained on the 2023 UN resolution and voted for the 2024 and 2025 ones, without explaining either vote. In the Geneva expert group it worked line by line on the draft text, asked for stronger language on human control and accountability, and said the measures should implement existing legal obligations rather than create new ones. Before the group adopted its report in September 2026, it urged consensus. It has not said whether it wants a treaty.
The UAE wants a paragraph of the expert group's text framed as implementing existing law, not as a new commitment.
in order to clarify that this paragraph aims at implementing existing legal obligations and do not create a new commitment or a separate obligations [ar]
CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 2026 second session, 5th meeting, automatic speech recognition transcript, 2026-09-02 source
The UAE urges consensus on the expert group's text before adoption.
The United Arab Emirates believes that consensus would send an important message concerning the capacity of this group to tackle complex aspects of new technologies [ar]
CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 2026 second session, 8th meeting, automatic speech recognition transcript, 2026-09-03 source
In 2025 the UAE asks for meaningful human control and compliance with international law to be written more clearly into the text.
adding meaningful human control is very important, and this should reflect also in a clearer manner observance of international law [ar]
CCW Group of Governmental Experts on LAWS, 2025 first session, 6th meeting, automatic speech recognition transcript, 2025-03-05 source
Shown large among its peers · hover a mark for its position
How did it vote?
Abstain, Yes, Yes across the three resolutions.
Hover a legend chip to light those votes · each resolution links to its record
What has it signed?
Being on a list is a fact. Not being on one is not opposition.
Hover a column heading to light its signings · click a seal to open the document
When has it spoken?
Every time it went on the record, dated.
Hover a mark for what it was · a legend chip lights that type
What rules has it written at home?
Its own military policy.
Military policy not yet reviewed by this site, as of 2026-11-04.
The record
The documents on file.
Each mark opens its source