New york: Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), underlined that the international community must confront the reality that the rules of war are being violated as armed conflicts increase in number and intensity.
According to Bahrain News Agency, in a statement ahead of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Spoljaric emphasized that international humanitarian law can only provide genuine protection in accordance with the strength of the political will shown by leaders to ensure its implementation.
She stated that all states are obliged, under the Geneva Conventions, to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure that other states do likewise. She warned that the time has come to defend this law, and if states do not revive respect for the rules of war, the world will face the danger of an escalation of violence that cannot be contained.
Spoljaric also highlighted a recent global initiative launched last September by the ICRC, in collaboration with Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and South Africa, aimed at renewing political will in favor of international humanitarian law. She expressed encouragement that 89 states have joined this effort since its inception.