Ignazio Cassis calls for international humanitarian law to be strengthened at the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Bern, 09.12.2019 - Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis called for international humanitarian law to be strengthened in his opening speech at the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent taking place in Geneva from 9 to 12 December. Mr Cassis praised the vital work of the 17 million volunteers who make up the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
Speaking to representatives from the 196 countries that signed the Geneva Conventions and partners of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Mr Cassis affirmed that "respecting, strengthening and promoting international humanitarian law are core elements of Switzerland's foreign policy." As Geneva celebrates 100 years of modern multilateralism this year, Mr Cassis recalled that "the history of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement can be traced back even further than most international organisations." He noted that the Movement is better placed than ever before to promote the dignity and rights of all people. In this context, he announced Switzerland's intention to publish a voluntary report on the national implementation of international humanitarian law.
In the year marking the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, the head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) also called on states that have not yet done so to ratify the Additional Protocols to the Conventions and to recognise the competence of the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission.
A raft of resolutions
Geneva is hosting the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent from 9 to 12 December. The event brings together the states parties to the Geneva Conventions and partners of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The Movement encompasses the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the 192 National Red Cross Societies, which operate through nearly 17 million volunteers around the globe.
During the conference, Switzerland will negotiate a number of resolutions in line with its foreign policy and the Dispatch on Switzerland’s International Cooperation 2017–20. The resolutions cover the following areas: implementing international humanitarian law at national level, protecting personal data collected by humanitarian actors, mental health in crisis situations, preventing and responding to epidemics and pandemics, and establishing legal frameworks for disaster responses that address climate change and achieve better representation of women within the Movement.
The ICRC and the IFRC are among Switzerland's most important partners in supporting humanitarian aid efforts.
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