- 12 Dec 2019 |
Informal Breakfast meeting on how to prevent violence in high risk zones through humanitarian engagement with Armed non-State Actors (ANSAs)
Permanent Representation of Sweden, Square de Meeûs 30, Thursday 12 December 08:30 – 10:00.
The protection of civilians is becoming a more prominent issue worldwide. Widespread international humanitarian law (IHL) violations occur during a variety of armed conflicts around the world. Most of these conflicts involve armed non-State actors (ANSAs), either fighting Government forces or other ANSAs. This recent trend reinforces the need to deepen humanitarian engagement on the promotion of and compliance with humanitarian norms. But how can enforcement and accountability of IHL be promoted, and what concrete measures and actions can be taken? What are the challenges and opportunities, including implications of counter terrorism legislation, relating to humanitarian engagement with transnational ANSAs? And what is the role of the EU and the Member States in supporting the protection of civilians and the humanitarian missions, through the engagement of ANSAs?
This breakfast meeting, organised by Geneva Call together with the Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU, aims to discuss options for effective protection of civilians in high risk zones and identify possible actions for the EU and its Member States in order to ensure accountability of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In addition, Geneva Call will present the results of a baseline survey conducted in April 2019 to better inform actors on the perception and understanding of IHL from a community, State and armed non-State Actors’ perceptive, with the examples of Afghanistan, Myanmar and South Philippines.
Please confirm your participation by replying to sandra.jalalian@gov.se by Tuesday 10 December.
Program
8.30 - Introductory remarks
Mikael Lindvall, PSC Ambassador, Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU
8:40 - The protection of civilians in Afghanistan, Myanmar and The Philippines: approach to humanitarian engagement with Armed non-State Actors (ANSAs)
Marie Lequin, Head of Eurasia Region, Geneva Call
9:00 - Comments by ECHO and EEAS
Antje Herrberg, Senior Mediation Advisor, EEAS
Other speakers tbc
9:20 - Moderated discussion, Q&A session
Helena Lagerlöf, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU
9:50 - Closing remarks
Mikael Lindvall, PSC Ambassador, Permanent Representation of Sweden to the EU