Secretary General welcomes the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross to NATO Headquarters

  • 22 Jun. 2016 -
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  • Last updated: 22 Jun. 2016 16:47

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed President Peter Maurer of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (22 June 2016). The leaders discussed developments in the cooperation and in the dialogue on humanitarian issues between NATO and the ICRC. President Maurer also participated in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer

During their meeting, the Secretary General thanked the ICRC for its important work in conflict zones around the globe. He underscored the importance of a continuous dialogue on humanitarian and operational issues between NATO and the ICRC, as well as the benefits of ICRC participation in NATO exercises and training events. In December 2015, NATO pledged to strengthen training on international humanitarian law at the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
 
The Secretary General and President Maurer also discussed the humanitarian and security situation in Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as the challenges emanating from instability in the Middle East and North Africa. Addressing the North Atlantic Council, President Maurer outlined the ICRC’s key operational challenges in accessing vulnerable populations and its efforts to enhance compliance with International Humanitarian Law.
 
NATO and the ICRC have a longstanding relationship guided by a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement outlines how the two organisations consult on humanitarian issues, and sets out how issues of international humanitarian law are covered in NATO military training and exercises.