NYARUGENGE - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in partnership with the Rwandan Defence Forces (RDF), yesterday began a five-day training course at Serena Hotel for legal advisors from various institutions on International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

According to Tobias Epprecht, the head of ICRC delegation in Rwanda, the aim of the course, which is the first of its kind to be organised by ICRC in Rwanda, is to strengthen the capacity of the concerned institutions and establish a permanent body of people who are qualified and able to function well as legal advisors especially in international humanitarian law.

"I hope that this training course will help in making the principles of humanitarian law an integral part of all aspects of military operations, and particularly of training, and support measures for officers involved in planning and conducting actual operations,” said Epprecht.

According to Article 82 of Protocol 1, additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, legal advisors in humanitarian law have two main tasks: to advise military commanders on the correct application of humanitarian law, and to give guidance to the armed forces under their command on the rules set forth in those legal instruments.

The training course targeting mainly the RDF is being taught by ICRC and RDF experts, and it is part of a long-term ICRC commitment to provide support for the Rwandan authorities in the process of adhering to the treaties of International Humanitarian Law.

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