Kuwait Red Crescent Society: Kuwait is a pioneer in supporting international humanitarian law and relief work
Kuwait City, Kuwait, 12 Aug (KUNA) -- The President of the Board of Directors of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS), Khaled Al-Mughams, affirmed that Kuwait has consolidated its leading regional and international position in supporting humanitarian action and promoting respect for international humanitarian law (IHL), in line with its steadfast approach to protecting human beings and alleviating the suffering of those affected around the world.
This statement was made by Al-Mughams in an interview with KUNA on Wednesday, following the opening of a workshop organized by the society titled “The Four Geneva Conventions and Humanitarian Action: Towards Enhancing the Protection of Human Beings and Humanitarian Workers in Armed Conflicts.” The event was attended by representatives of various official bodies involved in and supporting humanitarian work.
Al-Mughams said the workshop aims to highlight the importance of the conventions as the primary legal reference for protecting victims of conflicts, and to shed light on the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers, and medical personnel, while discussing the challenges of implementing these conventions in contemporary conflicts.
He added that Kuwait plays a pivotal role in supporting and disseminating the principles of IHL, the Geneva Conventions, and their Additional Protocols, noting the KRCS’s commitment to spreading the culture of IHL through training and awareness programs, enhancing cooperation with national and international institutions, building capacities, and raising awareness of its provisions.
Al-Mughams expressed hope that the workshop would yield practical recommendations to enhance the dissemination of IHL, develop cooperation mechanisms among relevant parties, and entrench a culture of respecting the Geneva Conventions, thereby supporting the protection of human beings and safeguarding their dignity, while strengthening security, peace, and stability.
For his part, Dr. Nawaf Al-Shari’an, a lecturer at the workshop, Head of the Legal Department at Al Ahli Bank, and a specialist in IHL, told KUNA the importance of the four 1949 Geneva Conventions in providing protection for victims of armed conflicts.
Al-Shari’an said the First Convention concerns the protection of the wounded and sick on land, the Second deals with the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked at sea, the Third covers prisoners of war, and the Fourth focuses on the protection of civilians.
He explained that the two Additional Protocols of 1977 expanded the scope of protection, with the first addressing international armed conflicts and the second addressing non-international armed conflicts.
He noted that organizing such events comes within the framework of the commitment to disseminate IHL on the widest scale, highlighting Kuwait’s great emphasis on protecting human beings in peace and war, and its prominent contributions to humanitarian action and assisting those affected by conflicts and disasters, including the efforts and aid provided to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
For his part, Ali Al-Housh, a lecturer at the workshop and Head of Programs and Cooperation at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told KUNA about Kuwait’s leading role in supporting and strengthening IHL and entrenching its principles through national and international legislation and initiatives that contribute to protecting human beings and humanitarian workers.
Al-Housh said that hosting the KRCS workshop coinciding with the anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions reflects the society’s role as a component of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and its efforts to spread and strengthen the culture of IHL at the national level.
He added that cooperation between the ICRC and the KRCS extends to field humanitarian projects, pointing out that the society supported the ICRC’s operations in Sudan with more than $2 million last year, with this support extending into the current year.
He noted that Kuwait’s adoption of legislation related to international crimes and the protection of the emblem embodies its advanced approach to protecting humanitarian action and its workers, alongside its role in supporting international initiatives concerning missing persons, thereby enhancing its position in serving IHL. (End) SLM
