أ) أهداف التعهد
Armed conflicts and disasters are the main drivers of humanitarian needs in today’s world, with devastating effects on the lives of millions of people. In affected contexts, greater respect for international law remains key to minimize their humanitarian consequences through a wide array of measures including training, dissemination, and advocacy.
In line with Italy’s traditional and recognized attention to humanitarian issues, the Italian Government and the Italian Red Cross are firmly and actively committed to enhancing respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Disaster Law (IDL), both domestically and internationally, targeting relevant stakeholders.
The present pledge aims to strengthen the cooperation between the Italian Government and the Italian Red Cross as auxiliary to the State authorities in the humanitarian field. This objective will be carried out in accordance with the relevant outcomes of the 34th International Conferences of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and considering the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as key supporting counterparts.
ب) خطة العمل:
Italy and the Italian Red Cross have strengthened their collaboration in various sectors, including the promotion and respect of IHL through dissemination and awareness-raising activities, as enshrined in the institutional framework for cooperation offered by the Italian National Commission for the Study and Development of International Humanitarian Law. The Commission was established in 2022 at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, involving representatives from the main governmental administrations and the Italian Red Cross, and will have a key and central role in accomplishing the activities indicated below.
At the same time, the Italian Government and the Italian Red Cross are increasingly active within the IDL field. Italy is actively promoting the normative development in this sector, and is leading the relevant diplomatic process in different fora. In parallel, the Italian Red Cross is supporting the dissemination of IDL both nationally and Europe-wide, and with the partnership of the IFRC it aims at establishing a Disaster Law Focal Point for Europe as well as organizing thematic training and dissemination activities.
To ensure the continuity and strengthen their cooperation towards the fulfillment of common goals in the humanitarian sector, the signatories commit to:
- Keep collaborating in providing an institutional framework for cooperation through the activities of the National Commission for the Study and Dissemination of IHL and facilitate the exchange of views and ensure mutual support at the occasion of international conferences, political fora, and meetings of representatives of national IHL Committees, whether required;
- Cooperate in the updating of the Italian Voluntary report on the implementation of international humanitarian law, five years after its adoption, taking stock of relevant developments that occurred in the period 2023-2028, to be published ahead of the next International Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent;
- Keep collaborating in the field of training for military personnel through the arrangement of dedicated courses at various levels for military personnel, and envisaging the revision, update and systematization of related training programs and materials in light of challenges raised by contemporary armed conflicts;
- Keep collaborating toward the finalization and adoption of the “Military Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Operations”, and – in case of its approval by Italian authorities – facilitate its wide dissemination, consideration, and use by the Italian Armed Forces;
- Keep collaborating in the promotion and protection of cultural heritage from the potential effects of armed conflicts, primarily through public diplomacy initiatives and other initiatives, including the possible marking of cultural assets;
- Cooperate in dissemination and advocacy activities on IHL and IDL for civil society, including schools, professionals, and academia;
- Support increasing efforts towards the adoption of a new global legal instrument on the Protection of Persons in the event of disasters, based on the Draft Articles on this topic adopted by the UN Commission on International Law in 2016.
ج) مؤشرات قياس التقدم المحرز
Proposed evaluation criteria for assessment to be held in 2028:
- Number of international and national events with relevance to IHL or IDL topics organized and/or participated in;
- Number of meetings of the Italian National Commission for the Study and Development of International Humanitarian Law;
- Updating of the Italian Voluntary report on the implementation of IHL;
- Update and systematization of the educational programs of the courses provided by the Italian Red Cross towards the Italian armed forces at various levels (officers, non-commissioned officers);
- Number of initiatives concerning the protection of cultural property;
- Finalization and eventually adoption, publication, and dissemination of the Military Manual on International Law Applicable to Military Operations;
- Joint contribution provided to the process toward the adoption of new international legal/regulatory instruments in the IDL field.
د) الآثار المترتبة على الموارد:
N/A
