Kuwaiti army keen on implementing IHL rules: Chief-of-staff
KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Army Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Mohammad Al-Khuder affirmed yesterday the army’s keenness on implementing International Humanitarian Law’s provisions. Khuder made his remarks in his speech during the first annual consultative meeting of Middle East experts, entitled “convergence between military operations and International Humanitarian Law.” The three-day meeting is organized in cooperation between Kuwait’s armed forces and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The Kuwaiti general staff has a keen interest in promoting awareness and legal culture in the field of military operations among armed forces staff, he said. It also strives to integrate IHL’s principles into the country’s national legislations, trainings, and military exercises, Khuder said. He noted IHL is also a main studying course in Kuwaiti colleges, institutions, and military schools.
The law is also a key subject in local, regional, international conferences and symposiums, as well as training courses and workshops, said the army chief. Khuder affirmed support to integrate IHL into military operations, urging IHL experts to devote its provisions and principles toward building a better future for the region backed by legal and humanitarian protection. The Kuwaiti army chief also indicated that IHL currently faces several challenges such as improving the concept of modern and contemporary armed conflicts.
The fast-paced development in the arming systems have posed legal and operational challenges in terms of implementing IHL’s provisions, in addition to the humanitarian fallouts resulted from using these systems, Khuder said. The whole world goes through great challenges, fast events, and several conflicts that affect the entire region’s security and stability, he noted. Khuder stressed the importance of giving rules and regulations further attention in order to boost the principle of humanitarian integrity. — KUNA