Ten resolutions adopted at the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in Geneva
Bern, 10.12.2015 - The 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent ended today with the adoption of ten resolutions that will influence the next humanitarian agenda over the next few years. Switzerland welcomes the fact that decisions could be taken on strengthening international humanitarian law, one of the most urgent challenges facing the world today.
The 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent took place from 8 to 10 December in Geneva, at a time of particularly bloody armed conflicts that are pushing the number of internally displaced persons and migrants to levels not seen since the Second World War. The conference, which convenes every four years, brought together almost 4,000 delegates representing the 196 state parties to the Geneva Conventions, as well as the 190 national societies, in the city which serves as the cradle of international humanitarian law.
Two of the resolutions adopted at the conference are aimed at strengthening international humanitarian law. With the first of these, states agreed to take up negotiations, in an intergovernmental process facilitated by Switzerland and the ICRC, on the functions and features of a forum of states on international humanitarian law. The resolution is also intended to find ways to make better use of the potential offered by the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The decision was based on consultations conducted by Switzerland and the ICRC. In this process, various options for strengthening compliance with international humanitarian law were discussed with states and other interested actors. The predominant view that emerged from these consultations was a desire to establish a regular meeting of states which would allow states to examine current problems and issues in the implementation of international humanitarian law, to share experiences and best practices, and to identify and meet capacity-building needs.
The second resolution concerns protection for persons deprived of their liberty in relation to armed conflict. It is intended to strengthen the protection afforded by international humanitarian law to those held in detention.
The conference was the occasion, 50 years after their adoption, to reassert the importance of the seven fundamental principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, independence, voluntariness, unity and universality. It also provided a platform for discussing current challenges, in particular the protection of medical personnel and humanitarian access to persons in need. The work of the conference also focused on the wave of migration released by armed conflicts and improving the system of disaster risk reduction.
Address for enquiries
FDFA Communication
Federal Palace West Wing
CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55
E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch
Twitter: @SwissMFA
Publisher
Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html
