3rd Pacific Islands Roundtable On International Humanitarian Law Kicks Off

A record number of Pacific representatives will this week join the 3rd Pacific Islands Roundtable on International Humanitarian Law, which is co-hosted in a hybrid format by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Republic of Kiribati.

International humanitarian law (IHL), also known as the law of armed conflict, is relevant for all nation States, even those in peaceful regions like the Pacific. It is during peacetime that States need to ensure laws are in place and that they are well understood by officials and the public.

As the only regular forum dedicated to general discussions on the law of armed conflict in the Pacific region, this Roundtable offers the chance for Pacific Island governments to contribute to the ongoing discussions on IHL. Pacific Island legal experts, including from National Red Cross Societies, will present the strengths and challenges of their particular contexts.

Clementine Rendle, ICRC Regional Legal Adviser in the Pacific, said of the event, “The Roundtable is an opportunity to strengthen the community of experts working to promote and implement IHL across the Pacific. Giving effect to IHL is a continuous process and there is always more to be done. Representatives will share their achievements as well as their lessons learned and will identify regional priorities.

Every country in the world, including in the Pacific, is bound by international humanitarian law. These laws aim to protect the safety and dignity of people exposed to conflict and to reduce human suffering. They are about our common shared humanity.”

Both the Solomon Islands and Bougainville have seen conflict in recent past, and the PNG Highlands continues to see tribal violence. More than 315 nuclear test explosions were concluded in the Pacific and Pacific Islanders in many areas continue to experience chronic disease and contamination of traditional lands attributable to nuclear testing. Further, the Pacific is also facing severe effects of climate change and these are only likely to intensify. Globally, where changing climate and conflict converge, affected populations are especially vulnerable.

The Roundtable will be opened by Hon. Minister Tarakabu Tofinga, Kiribati Minister of Justice, and Dr Helen Durham AO, Director of International Law and Policy for the ICRC. The keynote address will be given by Mrs Ana Tuiketei-Bolabiu, International Criminal Court Listed Counsel. Remarks will also be given by Mr Vincent Ochilet, Head of the Regional Delegation in the Pacific for ICRC, and Kiribati Attorney-General Tetiro Semilota.

The biennial Pacific Islands Roundtable on International Humanitarian Law was established by the ICRC as a forum for Pacific government representatives to discuss IHL development and implementation. The inaugural Pacific Islands Roundtable was co-hosted in Nadi, Fiji, by the ICRC and the Government of the Republic of Fiji in October 2017. While the second Pacific Islands Roundtable was co-hosted in Apia, Samoa, by the ICRC and the Government of Samoa in May 2019.

The 3rd Pacific Islands Roundtable on International Humanitarian Law will be held virtually from 2 to 4 November.

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