42 countries agree on controls to export, use of armed drones

The United States and more than 40 other countries issued a declaration yesterday laying out principles they said should govern the export and use of armed drones to ensure they do not cause instability or help terrorism and organised crime.

Many US allies such as Britain, Germany and Australia were among the countries that signed the declaration released by the US State Department.

France, Israel, Brazil, Russia and China were among the countries that did not sign the Joint Declaration for the Export and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

“Recognising that misuse of armed or strike-enabled UAVs could fuel conflict and instability, and facilitate terrorism and organised crime, the international community must take appropriate transparency measures to ensure the responsible export and subsequent use of these systems,” the declaration said.

It said international laws on armed conflict and human rights should apply to the use of armed drones, and exports should be consistent with existing multilateral export control and non-proliferation regimes.

The US regularly uses drones in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries. Such methods have become part of its war machine with drones firing more weapons than conventional warplanes in Afghanistan last year, according to US Air Force data.