Rwanda Defence Force Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Jean Bosco Kazura officiated the closing ceremony of the workshop on Support Relationships in Armed Conflict and Partnered Military Operations (PMO) organised by RDF in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

In his closing remarks, Gen Kazura commended the participants commitment to continuously cooperate, collaborate, and partner with a view to increase their much-needed operational capabilities, especially in promoting the respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

“I am sure that one of the realities that you have come to acknowledge during your discussions, is that no individual country would be able to be self-sufficient in achieving, on its own, the aforementioned operational and even strategic objectives. It is against that background that all individual nations present here have chosen to team up with others to deliver critically needed results,” Gen Kazura said.

The Head of ICRC Regional Delegation to Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, Mr Christoph Sutter said that the support relationships in armed conflict initiative seeks to increase military decision makers’ understanding of the role they can play in mitigating risks for civilian populations, for the wounded, for detainees when designing and implementing their support.

“Partnering armed forces deployed in military operations abroad have emerged as very relevant actors for seeking to provide stability and security in the areas where they intervene. Preserving humanity even when fighting the enemy is at the heart of the law of armed conflicts at the ICRC act,” added Mr Sutter.

About twenty African countries participated in the workshop that provided a platform for expert exchanges between military practitioners, humanitarians and academic experts on measures that can be taken in designing and implementing Partnered Military Operations (PMO) to enhance protection of civilians and respect for international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict.