Upholding International Humanitarian Law: 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent took place in Geneva from 28 to 31 October 2024
The 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) began with a compelling opening ceremony on Monday, 28 October, uniting delegates from around the world in Geneva. The event set a collaborative tone for the week ahead, highlighting the urgent need to address rising humanitarian challenges and reaffirming global commitments to international humanitarian law and principled humanitarian action.
The International RCRC Movement’s unique role in providing humanitarian aid, regardless of location or circumstance, remains at the forefront of the conference discussions. Across multiple sessions and numerous side events, participants tackled critical issues such as increasing international humanitarian law compliance, addressing impunity for serious international humanitarian law violations, and enhancing humanitarian responses to the escalating impacts of climate change.
EU Commitment to International Humanitarian Law and Partnership with the RCRC Movement
The EU and its Member States, as one of the leading humanitarian donors, remain committed to supporting humanitarian organisations worldwide. The EU underscored the its dedication to protecting civilians in conflict zones, supporting the localisation of humanitarian action, and fostering a universal culture of respect for international humanitarian law.
“This is a time of unprecedented humanitarian needs and a critical moment in our history. As conflicts proliferate, international humanitarian law is increasingly disregarded. We are deeply concerned at the brutality of warfare in current conflicts in which IHL rules are not respected. This has appalling consequences for civilian populations and infrastructure. There must be no impunity for serious violations of IHL and other most serious crimes.” Lotte Knudsen, EU Ambassador to the UN in Geneva
The EU reaffirmed its commitment to working with the RCRC Movement to ensure adherence to humanitarian principles and to continue strengthening its partnerships with both the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The EU emphasised the need for accountability and the critical role of international courts and tribunals in prosecuting individuals responsible for grave international human rights law violations.
In alignment with the RCRC’s focus on localisation, the EU highlighted the importance of strengthening the capacities of national societies, enabling locally led responses, and advancing resilience through collaborative, community-based approaches. In his keynote at the Commission on localisation, Director General of the EU’s Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO), Maciej Popowski, highlighted that humanitarian action can be more timely, cost-effective and efficient when locally driven, as local actors possess the knowledge, the networks and the cultural awareness to deliver results on the ground.
"The EU and IFRC work in a successful strategic partnership. The EU is the top donor to the IFRC, with our funding tripling over the past few years. Our partnership has a pivotal role in strengthening the movement’s components – IFRC, EU national societies and host/local national societies. It empowers local national societies and gives them a leading voice when designing response in their countries. The Movement is clearly a leader in the localisation agenda." Maciej Popowski, Director General of DG ECHO
Moreover, the EU recognises the growing threat of climate change, which is set to displace millions in the coming decades, and advocates for strengthening anticipatory action to reduce suffering and enhance protection for vulnerable populations.
The EU therefore supported the five resolutions presented at the conference, which address compliance with humanitarian law; protection of civilians in armed conflicts, including against cyber threats; enabling locally led humanitarian responses and strengthening resilient communities; and advancing anticipatory action on climate change and natural disasters.
The entire EU statement delivered at the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent can be accessed here:
