South Africa’s parliamentary delegation to the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, has called for legally binding international rules on the military use of artificial intelligence. The demand came on Monday during proceedings of the Standing Committee on Peace and International Security, where the delegation argued that AI-enabled systems must never operate beyond meaningful human control.
Oversight and accountability sit at the centre of the position. Ms Doris Mpapane, a member of the delegation, told a panel discussion on the role of parliaments in upholding peace in a time of military AI that rapidly advancing technologies operating without proper human oversight pose significant risks to civilians. Ongoing conflicts, she said, demonstrate that governance and accountability must keep pace with technological developments.
“Parliamentarians must strengthen their understanding of the legal, ethical and policy implications of artificial intelligence,” Ms Mpapane said. “We must actively contribute to shaping the norms, safeguards and governance frameworks that will guide its military use.”
Parliaments hold a specific institutional lever, in her view. Their oversight function allows them to scrutinise the procurement, development and deployment of AI-enabled military systems, helping to ensure transparency, accountability and observance of international law. She also stressed that the rule-making process should be multilateral and inclusive. “All countries, regardless of their technological capacities, have a stake in shaping the rules that will govern the military application of artificial intelligence and its implications for international peace and security,” she said.
Meanwhile, the delegation’s interventions in Arusha extended beyond artificial intelligence. It took part in discussions on strengthening maritime security and protecting critical infrastructure in times of conflict, where Ms Mpapane framed parliamentary responsibility in explicitly institutional terms. Secure shipping lanes, undersea cables, ports and energy infrastructure are vital to economic stability, she said. Referring to recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz, she argued that increased reliance on military means, rather than dialogue, to resolve disputes can heighten instability, with consequences extending far beyond the immediate conflict.
“South Africa is not distant from these consequences,” she said. “Our position on the Cape route makes us part of the global maritime system. We face our own infrastructure threats. These include cyberattacks, sabotage by organised criminal networks, undersea cable vulnerabilities, illegal fishing, the illicit exploitation of natural resources and extreme weather linked to climate change. These threats already affect our national security and economic stability.”
Ms Mpapane set out three areas in which parliaments can strengthen maritime and critical infrastructure security: keeping legal and regulatory frameworks responsive to evolving threats; using budgetary oversight to secure sustained investment in surveillance, cybersecurity and emergency response capabilities; and strengthening parliamentary diplomacy to promote dialogue and de-escalation.
“War has never provided a lasting resolution to disputes,” she told delegates. “It disrupts trade, raises costs, undermines economic stability and places the greatest burden on ordinary people. Parliaments have a duty to encourage their governments to pursue dialogue over confrontation, and to use parliamentary diplomacy to support negotiation and de-escalation.”
The full statement from Parliament, including the delegation’s call for binding international rules, is available at https://www.parliament.gov.za/press-releases/media-statement-sa-delegation-calls-binding-international-rules-govern-military-use-ai
The IPU, founded in 1889 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, is the global organisation of national parliaments. It brings together 183 Member Parliaments and 15 Associate Members and facilitates parliamentary diplomacy, empowering parliaments to promote peace, democracy, human rights, gender equality, youth empowerment, climate action and sustainable development worldwide. Audio clips of Ms Mpapane on artificial intelligence and on maritime safety have been made available through the iono platform. Media interviews with the leader of the delegation, National Assembly Speaker Ms Thoko Didiza, can be arranged through Mr Malatswa Molepo, with enquiries handled by Parliament Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.