Mongolia: Promoting Humanitarian Principles at Khaan Quest 2025
From 13 to 20 June 2025, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) participated in the 22nd iteration of Exercise Khaan Quest, an annual international military training exercise co-hosted by the Mongolian Armed Forces and United States Indo-Pacific Command. Designed to promote regional peace and security, this year’s exercise was held at the Five Hills Training Facility near Ulaanbaatar and brought together more than 1,200 participants from 24 countries.
Kath Stewart, the ICRC’s Regional Coordinator for Armed and Security Forces in the Asia-Pacific, pictured with colleagues from the Mongolian Red Cross Society at Khaan Quest 2025 on June 15.
For over a century, the ICRC has been engaging with military forces globally to promote the respect of international humanitarian law (IHL) to reduce human suffering during conflicts. One way of this engagement is the integration of IHL principles in military trainings and exercises.
Kath Stewart, the ICRC’s Regional Coordinator for Armed and Security Forces in the Asia-Pacific, participated in the Staff Exercise, alongside over 100 mid to senior officers from nearly 20 countries, planning for the deployment of three battalions in a simulated United Nations peacekeeping operation. She provided participants with an overview of the humanitarian sector and the ICRC’s mission, mandate and engagement in an Area of Operations. Acting in the simulated role of a field Head of Sub-Delegation, she worked to ensure that humanitarian considerations—such as the protection of civilians and respect for IHL—were integrated into operational planning, informing orders to be given for the conduct of the Command Post Exercise.
Kath Stewart, the ICRC’s Regional Coordinator for Armed and Security Forces in the Asia-Pacific, pictured with the Republic of Korea Platoon during Khaan Quest 2025 on June 16.
The ICRC also participated in the Field Training Exercise, engaging alongside the Mongolian Red Cross Society with four of the eleven platoons representing countries across the Asia-Pacific region. The ICRC led discussions with the platoons from China, South Korea, India, and Qatar on IHL, International Human Rights Law, and the protection of civilians. These sessions helped peacekeepers better understand their responsibilities and the critical importance of respecting humanitarian norms in complex operational environments.
Exercise Khaan Quest continues to be a valuable opportunity for the ICRC to engage with police and military personnel preparing for UN peacekeeping missions. Through its participation, the ICRC contributes to the ongoing integration of IHL and humanitarian principles into military training and doctrine—ensuring that protection of civilians remains at the heart of peacekeeping operations.
The ICRC remains committed to strengthening dialogue and cooperation with military forces throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, in support of its mission to protect and assist victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence.
