By Necva Tastan Sevinc
ISTANBUL (AA) - Leaders from six countries together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Sunday called for renewed global commitment to international humanitarian law (IHL), warning that widespread violations are fueling “unacceptable human suffering” in conflicts worldwide.
In a joint statement released by the French Foreign Ministry, Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and the ICRC urged governments and the international community to uphold the Geneva Conventions and take concrete steps to protect civilians, humanitarian workers, and journalists caught in war zones.
The statement comes one year after the launch of the Global Initiative to Revitalize Political Commitment to IHL, which now counts 89 states as participants.
Twenty-seven countries are co-leading seven thematic workstreams tasked with developing practical recommendations to improve compliance with humanitarian law.
According to the group, more than 130 states have taken part in global and regional consultations over the past year. An interim report outlining the findings will be published next month.
“The common thread emerging from these consultations is states’ call for a protective interpretation of IHL,” the leaders said, emphasizing the universality of the initiative and the responsibility of states to implement the Geneva Conventions.
The leaders reaffirmed that all parties to armed conflict must respect humanitarian law, stressing that obligations apply equally to states engaged in war or in situations of occupation.
They underlined that the UN and the wider multilateral system have a central role in ensuring compliance.
The signatories announced plans to co-host a high-level global meeting in 2026 dedicated to defending humanity in times of war.
“Seventy-six years after the adoption of the Geneva Conventions, we call on world leaders to unite around a shared responsibility: to prevent atrocities and preserve humanity in times of war,” the statement said.
“The world cannot stand by as the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law are routinely and deliberately violated. Together, we can put an end to the inconceivable and unacceptable suffering and destruction that characterize today’s conflicts.”