January 22, 2020 (KHARTOUM) – The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Wednesday renewed an agreement to teach International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to its troops.
Several international conventions stipulate that governments have the obligation to teach their armies to observe the rules of international humanitarian law.
The Red Cross used to offer its assistance to the armed forces to disseminate the principles of international humanitarian law to its troops to limit the effects of war on civilians and prisoners of war
In a statement released after the signing of renewal deal, the Red Cross said they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to “the ICRC’s support to the SAF for the teaching and integration of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) within their Armed Forces”.
The document was first signed in 2008. It has been renewed regularly ever since, most recently in 2015.
The ICRC’s cooperation with the Sudanese army includes technical support to SAF for training, the provision of teaching materials and the reviewing of training manuals.
Over the past years, the ICRC has offered advice on standard operating procedures relevant to IHL, on codes of conduct, and — in its role as a neutral intermediary — has facilitated the release of detainees.
Pascal Cuttat ICRC Head of Delegation in Sudan said that this support coincides with the democratic transition in Sudan and the efforts of the transitional authority to achieve change.
“With the renewal of this MOU we will continue our support to the SAF for the teaching of IHL to their Armed Forces, and for its integration into all aspects of military conduct,” Cuttat added.
The ICRC has been working in Sudan since 1978 and extended its operations to Darfur in 2003. It is also operational in the Blue Nile and South Kordofan states.
(ST)
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