Philippines to Host Largest Regional Conference on International Humanitarian Law

MANILA 07 August 2025 — The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and with the support of the Inter-Agency Committee on International Humanitarian Law (IAC-IHL), will host the Asia Pacific Regional Conference on International Humanitarian Law from 11 to 14 August 2025 in Makati City. 

Bringing together over 120 delegates from more than 30 countries, this year’s Conference will be the largest regional IHL gathering to date.  For the first time, regional IHL forums from Northeast, Southeast, and South Asia, as well as the Pacific, will be merged into a single, unified event.

This year’s Conference, themed “Galvanising Commitment to International Humanitarian Law: Challenges and Opportunities in the Asia Pacific Region,” is designed for practitioners from foreign affairs and defense ministries, as well as other government agencies responsible for IHL and related areas of international law.  The program will explore the vital role of national IHL committees and tackle pressing contemporary challenges in IHL implementation.  Key discussions will address the impact of emerging technologies, including information and communications technologies, cyber operations, and autonomous weapons systems, on the application and enforcement of humanitarian law.

Delegates will also engage in peer exchanges on strengthening national IHL committees, aligning domestic legislation with key IHL instruments, and promoting the protection of civilians and humanitarian principles amid evolving conflict dynamics. 

The Conference will also serve as a regional platform to follow up on resolutions from the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, as well as to consult on the Global Initiative to galvanize political commitment to IHL.

By hosting this important Conference, the Philippines brings to the table a strong and enduring legacy of championing International Humanitarian Law (IHL).  It is a State Party to all four 1949 Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, which form the foundation of IHL and establish essential protections for wounded soldiers, prisoners of war, and civilians during armed conflict.

Throughout its eight-decade membership in the United Nations as a founding member of the organization, the Philippines has consistently been a champion of IHL, especially in respecting its principles and ensuring its application throughout the world.  The United Nations is celebrating its 80th founding anniversary this year, and one of its most enduring legacies and accomplishments is the continuing effort to universalize IHL.

Domestically, the Philippines enacted Republic Act No. 9851, or “The Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity,” which defines and penalizes grave breaches of IHL.  The country has also integrated IHL principles into military training and doctrine.

Notably, the Philippines is one of only three ASEAN member states with a dedicated National IHL Committee, underscoring the Philippines’ sustained leadership in advancing humanitarian protection and legal accountability at both regional and global levels. The Philippines’ IAC-IHL was established through Executive Order No. 77 (s.2024) with the DFA and the Department of National Defense as co-chairs supported by 12 other national government agencies.

The Philippines is running for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council for the term 2027-2028.  One of the country’s greatest contributions to global security is its active participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations in various parts of the world for over six decades, strengthening the application of IHL in conflict- and post-conflict-areas of the world.

Among the Conference’s key expected outcomes are a renewed regional momentum toward institutionalizing mechanisms for IHL compliance, and stronger encouragement for States to accede to key IHL instruments and take concrete steps toward their implementation and operationalization, particularly in the context of international armed conflict (IAC).  END