Qatar Advocates for Humanitarian Law and Peace at Geneva Conference

At the fourth round of international discussions aimed at enhancing political commitment to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Qatar played a significant role. This event was organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva.

Qatar’s delegation was led by Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Mansouri, who serves as the Second Secretary at its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. He chaired a pivotal session themed “International Humanitarian Law and Peace.”

In his address, Al Mansouri pointed out that armed conflicts leave profound and enduring impacts on societies. He noted that breaches of international humanitarian law escalate tensions, erode trust, and hinder the pursuit of lasting peace.

He underscored that every conflict needs to be approached with the clear intention of restoring peace. According to him, the actions taken during warfare must facilitate communities’ ability to coexist peacefully post-conflict.

Al Mansouri further elaborated that the final document from these discussions seeks to transform the ideas and experiences of various countries into actionable recommendations. These recommendations span all phases of conflict—prior, during, and after hostilities.

The initial focus is on bolstering preventive mechanisms during peacetime, including safeguarding vulnerable groups like missing individuals, detainees, and the deceased, alongside fostering disarmament initiatives.

The second segment stresses the need to implement humanitarian law in mediation efforts and ceasefire agreements amid conflicts.

Lastly, the third segment tackles post-conflict recovery, presenting a checklist of measures designed to ensure ongoing adherence to humanitarian law while supporting enduring peace.

Qatar is acting as a co-chair for this initiative, partnering with Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Colombia, and Ethiopia, along with the International Committee of the Red Cross.