Safadi: The cost of conflicts has exceeded the limit.. and 118 countries renew their commitment to international humanitarian law
Amman3 min read
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi said on Wednesday that 118 countries from various regions of the world have so far joined the global initiative to renew political commitment to international humanitarian law, calling on world leaders to take action against the increasing violations of the rules protecting civilians in armed conflicts.
This was stated in a joint statement delivered by Safadi on behalf of Jordan, Brazil, China, France, Kazakhstan, and South Africa, the countries that founded the initiative in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross, on the sidelines of the high-level segment of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Safadi said that the cost of current armed conflicts has 'exceeded the limit', noting that civilians in more than 130 armed conflicts around the world are facing unacceptable violations, while hospitals, schools, and homes are increasingly turning into battlefields.
He added that these practices are not inevitable results of war, but often result from deliberate disregard for the rules designed to protect people affected by conflicts, emphasizing that the world 'cannot stand idly by' in the face of this level of suffering and destruction.
Safadi pointed out that Jordan will host, at the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II, the high-level conference 'Safeguarding Humanity in War' on December 7, 2026, with the aim of renewing collective commitment to international humanitarian law and transforming the momentum generated by the initiative into practical and effective actions.
He said that the conference will witness the issuance of a brief and comprehensive political declaration by the participating countries, calling on all countries that believe in the importance of international law to join the initiative and participate in the conference at the highest level.
Safadi explained that 27 of the countries that joined the initiative have shared the leadership of seven thematic tracks that have worked on preparing practical guidelines to enhance respect for international humanitarian law and address the challenges posed by contemporary wars.
He stressed that the initiative aims to ensure the neutral, consistent, and global application of the commitments under international humanitarian law, emphasizing that countries bear the primary responsibility for respecting, implementing, and applying the Geneva Conventions.
Safadi added that the suffering witnessed in armed conflicts around the world is a stark reminder that the basic rules of these conventions are not being respected as they should be, calling on world leaders to unite their efforts during the upcoming conference in Jordan.
Safadi concluded by affirming that the world is capable of putting an end to the suffering and destruction caused by current conflicts and working towards peaceful solutions, emphasizing the need to'safeguard humanity in war'.
