ShareKUWAIT: “What we are witnessing in Gaza is a moral failure of the international community,” said Mamadou Sow, the International Committee of the Red Cross’ Regional Head of Delegation for the GCC, during an interview with local media at the official residence of Canada, ahead of an event titled “Keeping Humanity Alive”.
Celebrating World Red Cross Day and the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, Sow emphasized the ICRC’s role in continually reminding people of the importance of international humanitarian law as the only way to limit consequences of war and save lives. However, he noted that as the organization’s role is only to disseminate this law, educate people about it, and clarify it - it remains the states’ responsibility to respect it.
“What we are currently lacking is political will,” he affirmed. Therefore, he stressed on the vital role of Kuwait, Canada and many other partners in supporting the current situation, not only through financial aid and delivery of humanitarian goods, but also by providing political support and advocating for the respect of the international humanitarian law.
Kuwait, Canada play pivotal roles
Host of the event, Ambassador of Canada to Kuwait Aliya Mawani, emphasized Canada has been a steadfast supporter of adherence to international law in the middle of this complicated time in the region and around the world, with particular reference to Gaza. She highlighted Canada’s unwavering solidarity with Gaza, reflected through its constant call for an immediate ceasefire. “Every day there are more people getting killed, more infrastructure being destroyed, and we have been very clear that we want this to stop,” she said. “We want to see the devastation that is happening for civilians stop.”
Despite the challenges most countries face in providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza, Mawani highlighted Canada’s commitment to doing its best to help. She pointed to Canada’s cooperation with the ICRC last week in opening a field hospital in Gaza, supported by the Canadian Red Cross. Sow praised Kuwait’s role.
“I think all of us take a lot of pride in seeing the scale of humanitarian response from the Kuwaiti government, organizations and the people of Kuwait,” referring to the pivotal partnership between the ICRC, Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, especially in global humanitarian operations and dialogues. “But of course, the needs are so vast, that whatever we do pales in comparison to the depth of human suffering,” he added.
Confidentiality, neutrality
The open discussion with Sow, moderated by Ambassador Mawani, spanned a range of pressing topics, including the operational scope of ICRC’s work, the significant challenges it encounters amidst global crises, and its role in protecting and assisting civilians in the Middle East, such as in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq. Sow highlighted calling for the respect of international humanitarian law in the region as ICRC’s central pillar of response to the current challenging situation, by meeting with non-state armed groups like Hamas and Ansar Allah and engaging in conversations to improve the fate of people around the world.
A key focus of Sow’s address was the ICRC’s role as a neutral intermediary in facilitating recent prisoner exchanges between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, highlighting the complex operations and negotiations such endeavors entail. He emphasized the active essence of neutrality. “Neutrality is not about standing by passively; it’s about active engagement without taking sides, which allows us to deliver aid to those most in need amidst conflict.”
Remaining confidential is another key pillar of ICRC’s strategy, using what Sow called “diplomatic confidential bilateral dialogue”. This approach, as Sow stated, is what helped ICRC visit more than one million detainees around the world in the Middle East and more than 300 places of detention in this region, by communicating with authorities to improve conditions.
Missing persons
Sow added that ICRC will always hold on to the fate of missing persons as its top priority, considering it among its longtime projects, even though this area of concern is not given enough attention by the media. Regarding orphans, he said ICRC is committed to reuniting them with their distant relatives through constant communication with the organization’s teams inside and outside Gaza.
The ICRC also prioritizes women’s rights, recognizing their critical importance both in conflict situations and within the framework of ICRC’s humanitarian efforts. He recounted various instances where the organization intervened to protect women and reunite separated girls with their mothers. “During times of conflict, women’s vulnerabilities are heightened. We don’t wait for these vulnerabilities to manifest; rather, we assume their presence and incorporate them into our response strategies.”
Regarding ICRC’s internal operations, Sow highlighted the organization’s commitment to inclusivity and gender equality. “We have women leading dialogues, negotiating on the frontlines and spearheading responses. In fact, our current president is a woman,” he noted. He emphasized the importance of including women in problem-solving teams. “If you attempt to address a problem without female representation, you may overlook issues that specifically affect women.”
