Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar in Geneva H E Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah speaking during the meeting.
Geneva: Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar in Geneva H E Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah, participated in the Fifth States’ Consultation on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Peace, held yesterday at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva.
In a statement delivered during the meeting on behalf of the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Colombia, and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, as co-chairs of the third track of the Global Initiative on International Humanitarian Law, entitled “International Humanitarian Law and Peace,” she emphasised that IHL alone does not achieve peace. However, respect for it can help preserve the pathways that make peace possible by alleviating suffering, limiting destruction, helping maintain trust, protecting the systems on which societies depend, and keeping space open for dialogue.
She highlighted that the revised final document of the initiative constitutes a practical tool that brings together measures capable of helping states strengthen implementation, support humanitarian dialogue, enrich mediation and peace processes, and guide post-hostilities transition phases. She also praised the constructive spirit demonstrated by participating states, which contributed to shaping and strengthening the document.
She explained that the co-chairs and the International Committee of the Red Cross will work on finalising the concluding document, which is scheduled to be issued in all languages of the Global Initiative on International Humanitarian Law by the end of September 2026. She further noted that Switzerland and the ICRC will host the Global Dialogue on International Humanitarian Law on November 3–4, 2026, in Geneva.
The Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to Geneva affirmed that law remains one of the fundamental pillars underpinning the protection of humanity, dialogue, and recovery. She stressed that respect for international humanitarian law can help preserve opportunities for achieving peace, even when peace itself may not be within immediate reach.
