Source: Government of Qatar
Geneva, June 25, 2026
The State of Qatar has highlighted the importance of international humanitarian law (IHL) in preserving pathways to peace, during the fifth consultations among states on international humanitarian law and peace held at the headquarters of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva.
The State of Qatar was represented at the meeting by HE Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Ambassador Dr. Hind Abdulrahman Al Muftah, who also spoke on behalf of 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, which focuses on IHL and Peace.
In her intervention, HE Dr. Al Muftah said that while international humanitarian law does not in itself create peace, its respect can help preserve the conditions that make peace possible. She noted that adherence to IHL can reduce human suffering, limit destruction, maintain trust between parties, protect essential societal systems, and keep space open for dialogue.
She emphasized that the revised outcome document of the initiative represents a practical tool combining measures that support stronger implementation of humanitarian law, encourage humanitarian dialogue, enrich mediation efforts and peace processes, and guide post-conflict transition phases.
Dr. Al Muftah praised the constructive engagement of participating states, saying their contributions had helped shape and strengthen the draft document.
She also noted that the co-chairs and the ICRC would work towards finalizing the document, with publication in all official languages of the Global Initiative on International Humanitarian Law expected in late September 2026. She added that Switzerland and the ICRC will host the global dialogue on International Humanitarian Law in Geneva on Nov. 3-4, 2026.
The Qatari envoy underlined that international law remains a cornerstone for protecting humanity, fostering dialogue, and supporting recovery, stressing that respect for international humanitarian law can help preserve opportunities for peace even in contexts where peace remains distant.