Advocacy Areas

CCW – GGE on LAWS | Autonomous Weapons and Global South Perspectives The InterAgency Institute engages with the international debate on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS)within the framework of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Group of Governmental Experts on emerging technologies in the area of LAWS. The Institute advocates for the meaningful inclusion of Global South perspectives in discussions on autonomy in weapons systems, human judgement and control, accountability, international humanitarian law, and the emerging normative framework governing the development and use of autonomous weapons. Our work emphasizes that the governance of military artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons is not only a technological and legal challenge, but also a question of international security, technological inequality and meaningful participation in global rule-making. Differences in technological capabilities, regulatory capacity and access to expertise can significantly affect the ability of states, particularly developing countries, to assess emerging military technologies and participate effectively in the development of international norms. Drawing on interdisciplinary expertise in international security, defence, artificial intelligence and international cooperation, the InterAgency Institute contributes research and policy advocacy on human judgement and control, accountability and responsibility, military AI governance, technological asymmetries, capacity-building and the participation of Global South countries in multilateral disarmament processes. Through engagement with the CCW/GGE on LAWS and the broader international debate on autonomous weapons, the Institute seeks to connect research, civil society expertise and multilateral policy processes, contributing to governance frameworks that are legally sound, technologically informed and responsive to the security concerns and institutional realities of states across different regions and levels of technological capacity.

UNODC – SE4U | Organized Crime and Interagency Cooperation The InterAgency Institute engages with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) through the Stakeholder Engagement for the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (SE4U)framework, which promotes the participation of civil society, academia and other non-governmental stakeholders in the implementation and review of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC). Within this framework and through engagement with UNODC-related thematic processes and the United Nations Crime Congress, the Institute contributes research, policy analysis and advocacy on transnational organized crime and interagency cooperation, with particular attention to maritime and cross-border environments. Our work examines crime convergence, recognizing that human trafficking, migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, illicit financial flows, arms trafficking and other forms of organized crime increasingly intersect across routes, networks and jurisdictions. The Institute focuses particularly on the institutional and operational challenges created by these intersections and on the mechanisms required for effective cooperation among law enforcement agencies, maritime authorities, border and customs services, judicial institutions, international organizations and civil society. Drawing on expertise from the Global South and Atlantic regions, the InterAgency Institute promotes evidence-based approaches to maritime human trafficking and migrant smuggling, transnational criminal networks, maritime routes and critical infrastructures, interagency coordination, international technical cooperation and capacity-building. Through research, policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement, the Institute seeks to strengthen the connection between academic knowledge, civil society expertise and policy practice, contributing to more integrated responses to transnational organized crime and to the implementation of UNTOC and its Protocols.

Paris Peace Forum | Artificial Intelligence and Transition Minerals The InterAgency Institute engages with the Paris Peace Forum (PPF) as part of its advocacy on emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, strategic resources and the inclusion of Global South perspectives in contemporary global governance. Within the Forum's policy ecosystem, the Institute contributes to discussions on **artificial intelligence and transition minerals**, two increasingly interconnected dimensions of technological development, economic security and geopolitical competition. On artificial intelligence, the Institute advocates for inclusive approaches to AI governance that address technological asymmetries, digital inequalities, access to capabilities and infrastructure, and the meaningful participation of developing countries in shaping international norms. Particular attention is given to the implications of AI for international and collective security, responsible governance, technological sovereignty and the growing disparities between countries with different levels of technological capacity. On transition and critical minerals, the Institute focuses on the geopolitical and governance implications of the resources required for the energy and digital transitions. This includes questions of responsible supply chains, strategic dependencies, access to critical resources, environmental and social responsibility, and the position of mineral-producing countries from the Global South within global value chains. The Institute is particularly interested in the intersection between these agendas. The expansion of artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies depends upon increasingly complex infrastructures, energy systems, computing capacity and strategic mineral supply chains. Understanding these interdependencies is essential for addressing emerging forms of technological inequality and for ensuring that the benefits, costs and strategic risks associated with technological transformation are not distributed unevenly between the Global North and Global South. Through its engagement with the Paris Peace Forum, the InterAgency Institute seeks to connect research and policy advocacy with multi-stakeholder dialogue, contributing Global South and interdisciplinary perspectives to emerging debates on **AI governance, technological sovereignty, responsible transition minerals, strategic dependencies and collective security.