SL – ICRC jointly host IHL forum

The sixth annual South Asian Regional Conference on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) jointly organised by the Government of Sri Lanka and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), is being held in Colombo from 19-21 May 2015. Welcoming the opportunity of hosting the Conference in Colombo for the first time, Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith P. Perera, Chief Guest at the opening of the conference, remarked that the deliberations of this event would be important to ensure that the Humanitarian Law regime keeps pace with the evolving nature of armed conflict. Approximately 40 nominated individuals representing key Ministries, Parliaments, Judiciary and the Armed forces of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Iran, the Maldives and Pakistan are participating in the conference. Sri Lanka will be represented by the Foreign Affairs Ministry officials, Attorney General’s Department, Legal Draftsman’s Department and the Sri Lanka Army. Experts in IHL from the region and the ICRC would be resourcing persons for the event where participants would share their perspectives on IHL and work together towards heightened recognition of and compliance with this body of law.

“Over the years, IHL had to respond to the evolving nature of armed conflicts”, said Cherine Pollini, the Head of the ICRC delegation in Sri Lanka. “The theme of the conference, which is IHL: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, reflects these challenges and developments, some of which will be deliberated on at the forum,” she added.

For further information, please contact: Sarasi Wijeratne, ICRC Colombo, Tel: +94 11 250 33 46 or +94 773 1588 44. Or visit our website: www.icrc. org and our interactive map.