ERCS Plays a Central Role in Promoting IHL through its School of Humanity
“ERCS Plays a Central Role in Promoting IHL through its School of Humanity. “Ato Tewodros Alamirew, ERCS’s Chief of Staff at Deputy Secretary General level
The National Committee on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) held its second regular Regional High level and Expert workshop on IHL and Disarmament in Africa, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Addis Ababa.
Objectives of this regional event are to strengthen African leadership on IHL and Peace work stream, reaffirm the intrinsic link between IHL, disarmament and sustainable peace in Africa, IHL lead support on AU’s silencing the gun agenda through an IHL based framing of humanitarian and preventive disarmament, and strengthen humanitarian demining and address weapon contamination.
Chaired by the Director General of International Law Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ato Yibekal Gizaw, the meeting was attended by committee members from the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, ICRC, FDRE Ministry of Foreign affairs, the African Union and ECOWAS.
Ato Tewodros Alamirew ERCS’s Chief of Staff at Deputy Secretary General level, noted that the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) plays a central role in promoting IHL, peace, diversity, inclusivity, solidarity, and a culture of tolerance through our recently established Institute, The School of Humanity, the first of its kind in Africa.
Ato Tewodros underscored that with the school of humanity, ERCS aim to nurture values that strengthen human dignity, social cohesion, and peaceful coexistence as well as proper implementation of International Humanitarian Law principles.
During the session, the Committee reviewed activities undertaken since its first meeting and outlined directions for the implementation of key strategic priorities going forward.
The Committee, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in collaboration with the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, works to implement and promote IHL across the country and focuses on integrating international laws into national legislation, raising awareness among armed forces, and protecting civilians.
Ethiopia is a Co-chair of the IHL and peace workstream in the global IHL initiative which started in 2026.
Additional Image:FDRE MoFA
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