The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Government of Sri Lanka co-hosted the 12th South Asia Conference on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) on the theme “Protection of Persons in Contemporary Armed Conflicts: IHL Before, During, and After Armed Conflict,” in Colombo, from 9 to 11 August.

The Conference brought together 40 government officials and experts from States of South Asia and Iran. Organized annually, since 2009, the event aims to create a regional forum for States to deliberate and exchange perspectives on new dimensions and emerging issues of IHL.

At the opening ceremony, on 9 August, Minister of Foreign Affairs M.U.M. Ali Sabry PC, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the importance of implementing IHL in post-conflict situations for addressing humanitarian issues arising from armed conflict. Also speaking at the opening ceremony was Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs U.L.M. Jauhar, who drew attention to the remaining humanitarian needs in Sri Lanka while appreciating the contribution of the ICRC for IHL implementation in Sri Lanka.

Delivering the opening remarks, the head of the ICRC delegation in Colombo, Séverine Chappaz, highlighted the importance of upholding and strengthening further the rules aimed at protecting the life and dignity of people affected by armed conflicts and referred to the role of the ICRC, a neutral and impartial organization, which has played a key role, since the 19th century, in supporting States in the development of International Humanitarian Law.

During the conference, legal experts and State representatives discussed various issues in the different sessions on urban warfare, upholding human dignity in armed conflict, detention at sea, protection of persons with disability in armed conflict, accounting for the separated, the missing and the dead, as well as IHL and the digital domain.