Pakistan has called for the responsible and equitable use of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to improve maritime security, prevent their misuse, and protect international peace and security. The remarks were made by Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Usman Jadoon, at a high-level open debate of the UN Security Council titled Emerging Technologies and Maritime Security: Implications for Peace and Security. The debate was convened by Greece, which holds the Council presidency in October, and was chaired by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Jadoon said emerging technologies should also be made readily available for humanitarian purposes, including relief for seafarers threatened by piracy.
Jadoon described the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the cornerstone of international maritime order since its adoption and said the legal order it created must be protected and promoted universally. He said disruptions to shipping and attacks on merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab-al-Mandab have shown how quickly such events can threaten energy, food, and economic security. Pakistan reiterated its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the regional countries affected by instability in these waterways. He also condemned what he called attempts by the Houthi militia to turn Bab-al-Mandab into a weapon against merchant shipping, saying the attacks threaten regional peace and development, particularly for Saudi Arabia, and reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the Kingdom’s sovereignty.
Other delegations raised similar themes about both the promise and the risks of the technology. India’s permanent representative said AI-enabled analysis of satellite imagery, radar, and vessel-tracking data can improve maritime domain awareness and help detect suspicious activity, but warned that growing automation also exposes ports, vessels, communication networks, and undersea infrastructure to cyber threats. He called for safeguards, meaningful human oversight, and clear responsibility in the use of autonomous systems, and said India has made AI and maritime security priorities for its candidature for a Security Council seat in 2028 and 2029. Qatar’s representative said the use of emerging technologies at sea must comply with international law, including the UN Charter and UNCLOS, and stressed the safe passage of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Qatar News Agency.
The debate follows a series of Council discussions on the maritime domain and on AI. The Security Council Report said in its October forecast that recent conflicts have shown the growing role of emerging technologies in maritime insecurity, noting that AI can improve early warning and detection but can also enable more sophisticated reconnaissance and cyber operations against ports, ships, and undersea cables. It added that members differ over how far the Council should engage with technology issues, and that the International Maritime Organization adopted the first global code for autonomous ships in May, which took effect on 1 July. The debate took place on a day when Iran’s Navy said three oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz had hit sea mines, according to IANS. Pakistan’s statement did not propose specific measures or mechanisms for governing AI at sea, so its position remains a call for responsible and equitable use and not a detailed proposal.
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