Outcomes of the 5th Pacific Islands Roundtable on International Humanitarian Law

Representatives of Pacific States, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Pacific Red Cross Societies, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies participated in the 5^th Pacific Islands Roundtable on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) held from 13-14 August 2026 in Brisbane, Australia. 

Co-hosted by the Australian Government and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Roundtable served as a unique forum to facilitate regional dialogue on IHL, to share experiences and best practice in its national implementation, and to consider Pacific contributions to global efforts to ensure respect for IHL. 

During the Roundtable, participants:

1. Reaffirmed the continued relevance of IHL in the Pacific region, and the responsibility of all states to respect and ensure respect for this body of law;
2. Recognised the longstanding leadership of Pacific states in promoting peace, disarmament, and humanitarian values and acknowledged that these principles are deeply rooted in Pacific cultures and identities;
3. Recalled in this respect the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration endorsed by Pacific Islands Forum leaders in September 2025 as a significant Pacific contribution toward strengthened international peace and security and the promotion of international law; 
4. Recalled also the Pacific pledge to the 34^th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent held in October 2024, which reaffirmed the objective of contributing to a culture of respect for IHL;
5. Acknowledged the following IHL treaty participation actions since the 4^th Pacific Islands IHL Roundtable in 2024:
   
   • the Government of Kiribati’s accession to the Biological Weapons Convention in 2025, 
   • the Government of the Marshall Islands’ accession to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 2025,
   • the Government of the Solomon Islands’ ratification of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2024,
   • the Government of Tonga’s accession to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 2025 and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2026, and
   •  the Government of Vanuatu’s ratification of the Arms Trade Treaty and accession to the Convention on Cluster Munitions in 2025;
6. Acknowledged the significant efforts across the Pacific region to implement and ensure respect for IHL, and committed to building on these through further measures such as increased treaty participation, the adoption of new laws and policies, and capacity-building initiatives;
7. Recognised the important role played by Pacific Red Cross Societies in disseminating IHL and supporting its domestic implementation;
8.  Shared perspectives on contemporary issues arising in armed conflict and other situations, including the protection of the natural environment during armed conflict and humanitarian issues in the maritime domain;
9. Committed to strengthening or establishing National IHL Committees or similar bodies in their respective countries, where feasible and appropriate, to advise and assist national authorities in implementing and promoting IHL;
10. Highlighted the value of global initiatives to strengthen respect for IHL, including recent initiatives such as the Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to IHL and Declaration on the Protection for Humanitarian Personnel and undertook to explore further Pacific engagement in and support for both initiatives;
11. Committed to explore, modalities permitting, the possibility of delivering a regional statement or other similar contribution to the Humanity in War Conference in December 2026;
12. Called upon the ICRC to provide, upon request, technical and other expertise to support the objectives and activities outlined in this document;
13. Thanked the Government of Australia and the ICRC for co-hosting the 5th Pacific Islands Roundtable on IHL, agreed that the next Roundtable should be held in 2028, and requested the continued support of the ICRC to facilitate the next Roundtable.

List of participants:

Australia, Australian Red Cross, Cook Islands, Cook Islands Red Cross Society, Fiji, Fiji Red Cross Society, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Kiribati, Kiribati Red Cross Society, the Marshall Islands, Naoero, New Zealand, New Zealand Red Cross, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Palau Red Cross Society, Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea Red Cross Society, Samoa Red Cross Society, Solomon Islands, Solomon Islands Red Cross Society, Tonga, Tonga Red Cross Society, Tuvalu, Tuvalu Red Cross Society, Vanuatu, Vanuatu Red Cross Society.