DOHA: The Ministry of Justice and Qatar's National Committee for International Humanitarian Law have welcomed the decision of the Council of the Arab Leagueat theministerial level during its 163rd regular session, to approve the State of Qatar's proposal to establish a permanent Arab committee on International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
On this occasion, Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs HE Ibrahim bin Ali Al Mohannadi, praised the State of Qatar's National Committee for International Humanitarian Law's efforts in following up on the proposal and coordinating with Arab national IHL committees, as well as with the Arab League's Legal Affairs Sector.
This effort stems from the recommendations of the regional action plan of the1he 12thmeeting of theArab CommitteesforIHL, hosted by Qatar back in 2023, which mandated Qatar's National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, in cooperation with the Arab League and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to draft a proposal to establish a permanent Arab committee on IHL, defining its structure and responsibilities, and presenting it for approval.
The minister said that this proposal reflects the State of Qatar's commitment to the rule of law and is an implementation of the directives of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to uphold the principles of human justice and the implementation of the instructions of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to enhance national efforts in implementing international humanitarian law, in addition to the State of Qatar's dedication to strengthening collective Arab action in addressing violations and offering legal and technical support to member states.
The Minister of Justice and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs hoped that the proposal would achieve its goal of strengthening compliance with the principles of international humanitarian law in the Arab world, especially in light of the ongoing armed conflicts and serious violations occurring in the region, as well as to promote awareness of IHL principles.
For his part, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice and Chairman of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, HE Saeed bin Abdullah Al Suwaidi, stressed the significance of the Arab League Council's adoption of the Qatari proposal, pointing out that the State of Qatar was keen to establish a permanent Arab committee on IHL due to this step's significance in ensuring respect for IHL, in a reflection of the State of Qatar's humanitarian role and its ongoing efforts to support human rights at times of conflict, in addition to the Arab League's commitment to enhance collective action and coordinating efforts in the face of the serious consequences of war and conflict in the region.
He noted that work on the Qatari proposal had begun since the conclusion of the 12th meeting of theآArab Committees for International Humanitarian Law in Doha, which featured the Arab League Secretariat-General's treaties and agreements department and the ICRC.
The Chairman of the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law described the adoption of the Qatari proposal as yet another success for the State of Qatar, in line with its vision to promote international humanitarian law and spread its principles regionally and globally.
His Excellency commended the efforts of Qatar's National Committee for International Humanitarian Law in drafting and submitting the proposal to establish the Arab permanent committee to the Arab League's Legal Affairs Sector.
Al Suwaidi added that the Qatari proposal took into account the recommendations of the 1999 Cairo Declaration, which called for greater national efforts to implement IHL in accordance with the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocols. It also aligned with the Arab governmental expert meetings on IHL, which began in 2000 and produced annual reports. These meetings raised IHL awareness and increased the number of national committees. The regional action plans from each meeting culminated in the 12th session hosted in Qatar in 2023, which authorized Qatar's National Committee for International Humanitarian Law to submit the proposal in cooperation with the Arab League and ICRC, define the structure and responsibilities of the permanent committee, and present it to the Arab committees for approval.
As for the objectives and tasks of the Arab permanent committee on IHL, His Excellency said that it will operate under the supervision of the Arab League Council at the ministerial level, handling issues related to IHL, coordinating joint Arab action among national IHL committees, and putting forward recommendations to ensure respect for IHL and its promotion in member states.
Al Suwaidi pointed out that the committee will act as the Arab League's specialized body for IHL, providing advisory opinions upon the request of member states, harmonizing inter-Arab agreements with the Geneva Conventions and their protocols, as well as other international commitments of member states. The committee will also propose draft laws and carry out other duties assigned to it by the League Council, the Secretariat-General, and member states.
His Excellency noted that the to-be-established committee will enhance cooperation between Arab national IHL committees, help spread IHL awareness, and provide technical support and assistance in conducting training programs, seminars, and workshops in cooperation with relevant regional and international organizations.
