Doha: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), together with Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and South Africa, announced plans to co-host a high-level global meeting in 2026 to reaffirm respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) amid mounting violations in armed conflicts worldwide.
According to Qatar News Agency, in a joint statement, the ICRC and the six countries urged states and the international community to take concrete steps to reverse the alarming trend of IHL violations. They stressed that all parties to conflict, including states under occupation, are bound by international law to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure, medical personnel, aid workers, and journalists.
The 2026 meeting will be held as part of the Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law, which was launched last year to build international momentum for stronger compliance with IHL. Since its launch, the initiative has secured the formal support of 89 states from all regions, while more than 130 states have participated in global and regional consultations.
The upcoming conference, entitled “High-Level Meeting to Uphold Humanity in War”, is intended to mobilize political will and generate actionable commitments. Ahead of the meeting, the ICRC and its partners are calling on all states to strengthen domestic implementation of IHL — including legislative and training measures — and to engage actively in consultations under the Global Initiative while encouraging broader state participation.
The joint statement did not refer to any specific conflict, underlining instead that the initiative applies universally — to all wars and all parties — in order to ensure consistent and comprehensive application of IHL.
The ICRC also appealed to world leaders to unite around their shared responsibility, declaring: “Together, we can end the inconceivable suffering and destruction that characterize ongoing wars.”