ICRC Advances Efforts to Adopt African Union Declaration to Strengthen IHL on the Continent
With more than 130 armed conflicts recorded worldwide, many of them being fought in Africa, the need for robust advocacy to promote respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) has never been more urgent.
Addressing an open session convened during the 1350th sitting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) Mr Bruce Biber, ICRC Head of Delegation to the AU, called on participants to amplify their voices on global platforms to integrate IHL into policy and legal frameworks.
The PSC, as the AU’s primary decision-making body on conflict prevention, management, and resolution, regularly convenes open sessions to bring together AU member states, regional organizations, humanitarian actors, and international partners. Against this backdrop, ICRC was among a few humanitarian organizations invited to brief the Open Session on IDPs, Refugees and Humanitarian Assistance in Africa on 2 June 2026.
These sessions provide a vital platform to exchange views, shape collective responses, and strengthen continental action on peace and security challenges. They also serve to advance critical norms, including the protection of civilians and respect for IHL during armed conflict . In this session, the ICRC, as the premier guardian and advocate for adherence to the rules of war, has been invited to deliver a briefing.
“The distinction between military objectives and vital infrastructure, combatants and non-combatants, is becoming increasingly blurred, leading to attacks on civilians, health facilities, schools, and water supply systems,” Biber said.
He also highlighted the growing challenges of restricted humanitarian access, attacks on aid workers, and atrocities committed in full view of the international community.
Mr. Biber emphasized that IHL, a body of law with universal acceptance, is deeply aligned with Africa's traditions and moral values. He urged Africa, as one of the continents most affected by armed conflict, to take a leading role in global advocacy for IHL. “Respect for International Humanitarian Law not only reduces human suffering and saves lives; it also preserves civilian property and essential infrastructure.” he stated.
Mr Bruce Biber, ICRC Head of Delegation to the AU briefs the African Union Peace and Security Council during its 1350th sitting
A Global Initiative to Galvanize IHL Commitment
Mr. Biber also presented the Global IHL Initiative, launched in September 2024 by the ICRC in collaboration with Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and South Africa.
The Initiative aims to revitalize political commitment to IHL through seven targeted workstreams addressing key challenges in the application of the law. Explore more on the Initiative on the dedicated website
To date, 111 countries, including 24 African states, have joined the initiative. Momentum has been further championed through the proposal for an AU Declaration on Strengthening Respect for IHL.
The proposed declaration aims to reinforce the AU’s normative and policy frameworks, as anchors of IHL, while adding practical value to ongoing peace, security, and humanitarian dialogue across the continent.
Beyond the continent, it could also send a powerful signal to the international community at a time when adherence to the rules of war is under unprecedented pressure.
Mr Bruce Biber, ICRC Head of Delegation to the AU briefd the Peace and Security Council's 1350th sitting
A Call to Action
Mr. Biber urged AU member states to advocate for the adoption of the declaration, noting that such an instrument could serve as a global example ahead of the High-Level Conference, planned in Jordan, as the culmination of the Global IHL Initiative.
“The human cost of inaction is too high. Without rules, wars between combatants are transformed into wars against civilians,” he warned, stressing that what is at stake is the rule of law in wartime.
