By: Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News |
Guyana has renewed its call for stronger international cooperation to confront the growing threats posed by new and emerging technologies in warfare.
Delivering remarks before the United Nations First Committee in New York, Minister Counsellor Neishanta Benn of Guyana’s Permanent Mission to the UN warned that rapid technological advances — including artificial intelligence (AI), hypersonic missiles, and autonomous weapons systems — are reshaping modern warfare and posing severe risks to global peace and security.
“The dual nature of new and emerging technologies presents both profound opportunities and considerable risks for disarmament and non-proliferation efforts,” Benn stated.
While highlighting that innovations such as AI can strengthen peacebuilding, disaster management, and cybersecurity, Benn cautioned that the same technologies are being weaponized, fueling instability and global tensions.
Turning her attention to the Caribbean region, Benn emphasized that the proliferation of illegal firearms and ammunition continues to threaten peace, safety, and stability by fuelling organized crime and gender-based violence.
“For the Caribbean region, the proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition represents a grave threat to peace, safety, and stability,” she said.
Benn called for the strengthening of international treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, underscoring the need for legally binding frameworks to govern disarmament efforts.
“Only through a robust legal framework and collective commitment can we hope to curb the accelerating arms race and advance disarmament,” she asserted.
She also urged greater inclusion of women and civil society in peace and security policymaking, noting that sustainable disarmament must be rooted in shared responsibility.
Highlighting the stark imbalance between military spending and humanitarian needs, Benn revealed that global military expenditure exceeded $ 2.7 trillion last year, while humanitarian appeals amounted to just $ 47 billion — a sum that could assist nearly 190 million people worldwide.
“A fraction of current arms spending could significantly improve lives. Guyana calls upon the international community to summon the necessary political will to make this transformation,” she concluded.
Benn reaffirmed Guyana’s unwavering commitment to global peace, disarmament, and non-proliferation, urging world leaders to act decisively to ensure that emerging technologies are used for the advancement of humanity, not its destruction.
