Geneva Convention @ 75 : Inaugural Conference Kick Starts Activities

August 12, 1949 to August 12, 2024. The four Geneva Conventions commitment to serving a common humanity is 75 years old. To commemorate the anniversary of the Conventions, an inaugural conference and media briefing took place yesterday August 12, 2024 in Yaounde to remind member States of their obligation to respect the convention and to be reminded that human beings come first above all other things. Opening the conference was the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Justice, Momo Jean de Dieu on behalf of the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals.
Speaking to a diverse group of participants, in the presence of several members of the diplomatic corps, Momo Jean de Dieu reiterated the engagement of the government of Cameroon in respecting the fundamental human rights and the Geneva Conventions which is not intended to prohibit war, but to provide a protective and dignified legal framework for the most vulnerable people affected by armed conflicts. According to the Minister Delegate, the anniversary of the convention which was ratified by the government of Cameroon is an opportunity to remind various States of their obligation to take concrete measures to protect all people affected by armed conflicts (wounded, handicapped and prisoners of war as well as all those who can no longer actively participate in a war scenario) or other situations of violence. 
The Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross-ICRC, Regional Delegation for Central Africa, Stéphane Pierre Bonamy said since the adoption of the convention, they are facing certain challenges, notably the resurgence of non-international armed conflicts, the diversification of the actors involved in conflicts and the emergence of new means and methods of welfare. He said, all of these have raised questions about the adaptability and applicability of the conve...