International Conference joint IFRC-ICRC statement: Concrete actions urgently needed following commitments at the Red Cross and Red Crescent International Conference

Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said: "Across today’s conflicts, we see devastating human suffering from the lack of respect for international humanitarian law (IHL). The conference reaffirmed the collective responsibility to uphold these essential rules. In today´s highly polarized context, this is a critical achievement, and we will build on it to continue promoting a culture of compliance with IHL, and to translate these resolutions into impactful actions for those affected by conflict."

Kate Forbes, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “This week’s conference underscores that locally led solutions with global support are paramount to our work. They enable the people we serve to best meet the challenges of the future. I’m grateful for the spirit of solidarity from our National Societies, Movement colleagues and authorities who have made this important work possible. As we look to the future, it is incumbent upon us to carry these resolutions forward with renewed commitment and purpose.”

The conference brought together 191 signatory governments of the Geneva Conventions, along with 186 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). 

This apolitical forum, held every four years, has historically driven significant humanitarian progress, including the shaping of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, the global campaign to ban landmines, and initiatives for pandemic preparedness.

The endorsed resolutions are: 

1. Building a culture of compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL): This renews the commitment of States to uphold IHL, aiming to reduce human suffering by reinforcing its application. The resolution insists that States act to promote compliance with IHL, including by convincing warring parties to put an end to violations, seeking the commitment of States at the highest levels of leadership to comply with IHL and complying with their obligations on arms transfers. It also includes concrete actions such as updating national laws, training armed forces, ratifying treaties, and strengthening national IHL bodies to ensure these essential protections remain effective amid today’s complex conflicts.

   2. Protecting civilians and other vulnerable groups from the human cost of information and communications technologies (ICT) during armed conflict: This newly adopted resolution sends a powerful message that all States and national societies are committed to safeguarding civilian populations from malicious ICT activities. This broad support for protecting civilians and the consensus that these operations must comply with IHL is encouraging. Building on this momentum, the ICRC will prioritise efforts to ensure effective implementation of the resolution, guided by our commitment to fostering a universal culture of compliance with IHL.

   3. Strengthening disaster risk governance through comprehensive legal and regulatory frameworks: This will ensure the ongoing global strengthening of disaster laws and policies in the context of an increasingly hazardous world, with a particular focus on low to middle income countries, and the IFRC’s new Disaster Risk Governance Guidelines playing a key role.

   4. Enabling local leadership, capacity and delivery in principled humanitarian action and strengthening resilience: This resolution will focus on localisation within the Movement, aiming to enhance support for our National Societies and local actors around the globe in delivering effective, community-driven humanitarian responses across disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, pandemic preparedness, and crisis recovery. 

   5. Protecting people from the humanitarian impacts of extreme climate and weather events: ​In light of escalating climate-related disasters and their compounding effects on humanitarian challenges, this resolution provides the framework for collaboration between State Parties and the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement to expand anticipatory action, ensuring better disaster preparation and humanitarian response.