ICRC President: The world is facing more than 130 armed conflicts today

In 2024, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Jordan, China, France and South Africa, together with the International Committee of the Red Cross, launched a global initiative to strengthen political commitment to international humanitarian law. What is the main goal of this initiative? The main goal is to emphasize that we must invest in protecting civilians and those who are not taking part in hostilities during armed conflicts Over the past years we have been classifying more and more conflicts. Today we count more than 130 armed conflicts worldwide. This is twice as many as 15 years ago and almost four times as many as 30 years ago Armed violence between states, but also within states and between armed groups, is rising exponentially. We must reverse this very dangerous trend. One key element is to return to the essential protections for civilians in times of conflict These protections are enshrined in the Geneva Conventions. They were adopted after World War II based on the experience that uncontrolled violence leads to devastation that takes decades to recover from What we need today is political will. This initiative was launched by six states representing different regions and perspectives, yet they came together to reaffirm that the norms enshrined in the Geneva Conventions remain universal and must apply equally to all states and all parties to conflict Could we say that the existing mechanisms for ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law are not working well enough today? Yes, this is something we are deeply concerned about We see children being deliberately killed. We see women being systematically raped. Entire health systems collapse. Water networks collapse because they are attacked as part of military strategies This is clearly not allowed under international humanitarian law and should never happen States carry the primary responsibility. They must adopt practical measures to improve the distinction between military objectives and civilian objects Schools must remain sanctuaries where children can learn. Hospitals must remain sanctuaries where people can access vital services necessary for survival The High-Level Conference on Humanity in War will take place in Jordan later this year. What are your expectations for this conference? I hope that all states will participate I am committed to promoting a conference that follows the joint statement of the founding members. It should remain non-political and strictly focused on the implementation of international humanitarian law The goal is to avoid polarization on specific conflicts and instead focus on universal commitments to protect civilians, especially children, and all those who are not taking part in hostilities Should the conference result in a declaration, a document or perhaps a roadmap? We are currently conducting consultations in different thematic areas addressing various aspects of international humanitarian law So far we have held hundreds of consultations worldwide. Around 150 states are participating in this process, and about 30 states are actively facilitating these consultations The aim is to produce concrete guidance on how respect for international humanitarian law can be strengthened This may include improving preparedness for humanitarian consequences of conflict, strengthening training of armed forces, and other practical measures Ultimately, these measures are in the interest of every state, because international humanitarian law exists to protect everyone, including their own populations Speaking about the global initiative, could it be considered a new model of international cooperation? Yes, in many ways it is a new model It breaks through traditional regional or multilateral divides. At the same time, it is not meant to replace the United Nations or other existing processes. Those institutions remain essential and must be strengthened What we want is to create a neutral space for dialogue where states, even in a highly polarized global environment, can come together to discuss core principles they all agree on and explore how respect for those principles can be improved Kazakhstan is one of the co-authors of the initiative. In your view, what role does Kazakhstan play in the international humanitarian agenda, particularly in Central Asia? We have had close cooperation with Kazakhstan for many decades, and this cooperation has been further strengthened in recent years, including through the promotion of this initiative Kazakhstan is an influential voice in multilateral forums, including the United Nations General Assembly Central Asia has important experience in addressing conflicts and promoting stability while respecting humanitarian principles. The region understands well what it means when civilians suffer from the consequences of armed violence or transboundary tensions, particularly in rural communities already facing economic challenges This experience of working toward stability and peace can be shared with other regions. That is why the voices of Central Asian states carry important weight in this global discussion We are currently seeing an increasing number of conflicts, particularly in the Middle East. What are the humanitarian consequences of the current escalation? They are enormous. In many ways they surpass anything we have seen in previous escalations of violence What we see today is a level of humanitarian need that the international community is increasingly unable to address. The speed at which conflicts evolve and spread to more countries is extremely alarming The global humanitarian system will not be able to absorb the full consequences of what is happening if this trend continues Finally, would you like to add anything for our readers? I hope that states and state leaders will respond to the current situation by returning to a vision of peace This means recommitting to humanitarian principles and investing in measures that protect civilians. Bringing peace and stability to populations, including their own citizens, must remain the priority Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan had received President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mirjana Spoljaric at the Akorda presidential residence You can read Qazinform’s exclusive interview with Dr. Anne Quintin, Head of the Global Initiative on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) here