Angela Kane Weighs in on Weapons and the International Rule of Law

VCDNP Senior Fellow Angela Kane has been featured in the International Institute of Humanitarian Law's 39th Round Table on current issues of international humanitarian law, which took place 8-10 September 2016. The Round Table, entitled “Weapons and international rule of law," covers a wide range of issues related to how international humanitarian law can keep pace with new weapons technologies and frameworks to control them.

Ms. Kane's contribution, entitled "The role of international organizations, including the UN in supporting compliance, including by establishing fact-finding procedures," focuses on instruments that the international community already uses to combat terrorism and promote nuclear security practices. Ms. Kane analyzes the current "toolbox" of the international community and poses the question as to what is necessary for continued development in this field.

"The international community has taken a lead role in focusing on the use of weapons by non-state actors," said Ms. Kane. "I have outlined above the various instruments in the United Nations (Counter-Terrorism Committee and CTITF, resolution 1540, Secretary-General’s Mechanism, Joint Investigative Mechanism) as well as other initiatives taken by the international community, and while no new initiatives are currently on the table, increased focus has been on drawing attention to what is seen to be the increasing probability of non-state actors able to obtain and deploy such weapons."

The entire publication from the Round Table is available on the International Institute of Humanitarian Law's website.