Egypt's ambassador actively participates in "Mobilizing Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law" in Pretoria
Ahmed Salem
Ambassador Ahmed Sherif, Egypt’s Ambassador to South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho, and Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the Southern African Development Community (SADC), participated in a high-level event organized by the South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation.
This came in cooperation with the Regional Office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Southern African region, regarding the «Global Initiative to Mobilize Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law».
The event aimed to encourage countries, particularly African countries that have not yet joined the initiative, to consider joining it, as part of the ongoing preparations for the "Humanity in Times of War" conference.
Jordan is scheduled to host it on December 7, 2026, which will contribute to strengthening international commitment to international humanitarian law and supporting efforts to develop it.
Speech by the Egyptian Ambassador during the event
The Egyptian ambassador delivered a speech outlining Egypt's efforts as co-chair of the seventh work track within the initiative, which focuses on maritime warfare. He also highlighted the key outcomes of the deliberations within this framework and the most important issues addressed, particularly the impact of information and communication technologies, artificial intelligence, and cyber warfare on naval operations.
Ambassador Ahmed Sharif noted that the initiative showed that the majority of countries still consider the rules of international humanitarian law to be the minimum of common values that the international community has agreed to uphold in times of war.
He explained that this consensus reflects a broad awareness of the risks of abandoning those rules or sliding into future conflicts not governed by the provisions of the law.
The Egyptian ambassador also explained that the seventh work track aims to develop the San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea, in line with rapid technological developments.
He affirmed that the rules of international humanitarian law remain valid, binding, and of paramount importance, despite the challenges posed by the evolving nature of contemporary conflicts. He called upon African states and all other nations to actively engage in and contribute to the initiative.
Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross praised Egypt’s role in the initiative, stressing the importance of continuing efforts to develop the legal frameworks governing naval warfare in light of technological developments.
