Egypt: States Convene in Cairo to Reinforce Respect for Rules of War Amid Rising Conflicts

The Global IHL Initiative is a joint effort launched in 2024 by Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to elevate IHL as a political priority in a bid to reverse the trend of mounting IHL violations and to better protect civilians affected by armed conflicts. The Initiative is structured around seven thematic workstreams, each co-chaired by a group of supporting States and the ICRC.

The Cairo event was convened by the Government of Egypt, in its capacity as co-chair of the Naval Warfare workstream, in collaboration with the League of Arab States (LAS), the African Union (AU) and the ICRC. 

The two-day event forms part of a broader series of global consultations under the Global IHL Initiative, aimed at reinvigorating global political support for IHL. It works on identifying concrete and actionable outcomes that parties to armed conflicts, and States more broadly, can take to strengthen respect for the law.

“The Global IHL initiative is not a mere response to current challenges in implementing IHL, or to humanitarian crises during armed conflicts, but a proactive effort to shape a future where the key rules of warfare are respected and upheld,” said Ambassador Hatem Abdelkader, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Legal Affairs and Treaties at Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the opening session.  

The first day of the event focused on Naval Warfare, with experts from Arab states examining the technical challenges and gaps arising from contemporary armed conflict at sea, including the impact of emerging technologies. 

“We hope that this discussion will serve as a practical platform for dialogue and actionable recommendations to uphold humanity in the maritime domain. Above all, we must ensure that, even amidst evolving methods of warfare, our shared commitment to humanity remains unwavering,” said Indonesian Ambassador to Egypt Kuntoro Giri Waseso. Indonesia is co-chairing the Naval Warfare workstream of the Global IHL Initiative with Egypt.

The discussions aimed to build a shared understanding among participating States on good practices for applying the law and upholding humanitarian principles in naval warfare. These exchanges will also inform the final outcome document for the Naval Warfare workstream, which will compile concrete recommendations to help States strengthen respect for and implementation of IHL.

“IHL is not merely a legal framework governing armed conflicts; it is a humanitarian and moral necessity to protect human dignity, especially in light of the unprecedented escalation of conflicts and the evolving forms of warfare we are witnessing today,” said Sally Al-Saidi, Assistant Minister of Justice for Human Rights, Women and Children and head of Egypt’s national committee on IHL. 

The second day of the event brought together a broader group of States, from the Arab and African region as well as other states, to reflect more widely on the Global Initiative, its relevance, objectives, and the way forward.

“We are very grateful to Egypt for hosting this event at a time of significant strain on IHL and, by extension, on the lives of people affected by armed conflict,” said Jeremy England, Acting Head of the ICRC Delegation in Cairo. “What is tolerated today will define how wars are fought tomorrow. We must act now to prevent destruction and brutality from becoming the new normal,” he added.

Within the framework of the initiative, the ICRC has convened four rounds of State consultations across the seven workstreams, generating a wide range of practices and ideas aimed at strengthening compliance with IHL and addressing the challenges posed by evolving forms of warfare. 

Over 160 States from all continents have participated in these consultations, with a total of 111 States formally expressing their support for the Initiative, while 27 States are serving as co-chairs of the different workstreams. The Initiative will culminate in a high-level global conference on Humanity in War, to be held on 7 December in Jordan.

The Cairo event marks an important milestone in this global effort to promote the universal application of IHL and reaffirm that the rules of war are essential to preserving humanity in times of conflict. It also highlights Egypt’s prominent role in the Global IHL initiative across multiple workstreams.