The Iraqi delegation who participated in the meetings of first session of the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) which was held at the HQ of United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG) for the period 7-11 March on the Convention of Certain Conventional Weapons that can be considered excessively harmful or have indiscriminate effects (CCW), supported the necessity to reach a legally binding instrument to prohibit and regulate the work of these autonomous lethal weapons systems, and its dire consequences that affect the lives of all civilians whether directly or indirectly.   

From his part, the Director General of DMA, Eng. Dhafir Mahmood Khallaf, said that a delegation headed by the Assistant D.G of DMA, Mr. Bakir Sahib Ahmed, and the membership of the head of RMAC-North, Mr.Moamer Salah Al-Din Abd Al-Salam, with the participation of Disarmament Department/The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Iraq in Geneva, participated in the technical meetings of LAWS. Indicating that the Iraqi delegation also met His Excellency the Ambassador the permanent representative of Iraq at UNOG, Mr. Abd Al-Kareem Hashim Mustafa, at the HQ of the Republic of Iraq Mission, and discussed the issues related to the international conventions, CCW conferences and the first session of the meeting of Group of Governmental Experts of LAWS as well as discussing Iraq’s preparations to chair CCM conference during the next year. They also discussed the extension request of convention to be presented later, pointing out to the Ambassador’s praise of DMA role at the level of presenting the national reports and transparency reports of relevant conventions on a regular and accurate basis.

The D.G also referred to the meeting of DMA’s delegation with the program manager of MAG, Mr.Krother, at the HQ of the Republic of Iraq Mission, where they discussed the current situation of MAG as well as the challenges facing the conduct of their work and the ways to overcome it. In addition to, discussing the work priorities of DMA which requires to increase the efforts in order to include the affected Iraqi governorates and that activities not limited to certain sites.

It is noteworthy that Iraq is a member of CCW concerned with IEDs, CCM on cluster munitions and Ottawa convention concerned on anti-personnel mines.