UAE to comply with Int’l Humanitarian Law

UAE is considering introducing wide-ranging reforms to fully comply with the International Humanitarian Law, according to local dailies.“These reforms include issuing legislations, revising laws in force and introducing the International Humanitarian Law in military training and programmes of colleges of law, political sciences and mass communications,” said Dr Abdul Rahim Yousuf Al Awadi, Assistant Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs.Dr. Al Awadi added the UAE has taken the initiative in spreading the culture of respecting humanity and ensuring the protection of civilians in troubled regions in the Arab world and around the globe.

“The UAE honours its obligations under the International Humanitarian Law and has brought education of the law to the curricula of schools and courses of universities,” said Dr Al Awadi

The UAE is signatory to the 1949 Geneva Conventions, which require states to disseminate the content of the humanitarian treaty as widely as possible in their respective countries. “The UAE promotes knowledge of humanitarian law among those whom it is intended to protect — the civilian population and casualties of armed conflicts — as well as among those who have to apply it — public officials of various ministries as well as different local and federal departments, starting with diplomats and those working in the educational, cultural, health, and relief sectors,” Dr Al Awadi said. Dr Al Awadi was reviewing the 2015-2016 action plan of the National Commission on International Humanitarian Law. He said the UAE was considering signing additional protocols of the Geneva Conventions on the International Humanitarian Law.