Red Cross convenes global meeting on international law abuses
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The International Committee of the Red Cross launched an initiative in 2024 with six countries to galvanise political support for international humanitarian law.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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GENEVA – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Sept 21 that it will co-host a global high-level meeting in 2026 to “uphold humanity in war”, at a time of rampant abuses of international law in conflicts.
In a joint statement alongside Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan and South Africa, the ICRC urged “states and the international community to act” to rein in widespread violations of international humanitarian law, or IHL.
“The world cannot stand idly as the basic tenets of international humanitarian law are routinely and deliberately being violated,” the statement said.
The ICRC launched an initiative a year ago with the six countries aimed at galvanising political support for IHL.
“We were driven by a deep sense of responsibility and urgency to act decisively to stem the tide of violations of international humanitarian law the world is witnessing,” the so-called Global IHL Initiative said in its statement.
The initiative members said they planned to “co-host a global high-level meeting to uphold humanity in war in 2026”.
The statement made no mention of specific conflicts of concern, saying it “speaks to all conflicts around the world, addresses all relevant stakeholders, and seeks to ensure an even and universal application of IHL”.
When the initiative was launched in 2024, ICRC president Mirjana Spoljaric highlighted to the Le Temps newspaper her concern over “the number of wounded and dead during the conflicts in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine”, which she said was “beyond our imagination”.
Since the Global IHL Initiative began, 89 states from all regions of the world have formally signed on, the statement said.
“All states, including in situations of occupation, are bound to fully respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law,” it said.
It urged “all world leaders to unite around a shared responsibility: to prevent atrocities and protect humanity in times of war”.
“Together, we can put an end to the inconceivable and unconscionable suffering and destruction that is the mark of today’s conflicts.” AFP
