By Dr. Nicolas Brühl, Swiss Ambassador

War has limits. These limits can be found in the Geneva Conventions and have been agreed on 75 years ago today. The commemoration of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions is an opportunity to highlight their importance for humanity at a time when conflicts continue to cause so much suffering and so many victims. Together with the Additional Protocols, the Geneva Conventions aim to humanize warfare and establish minimum humanitarian standards to be respected in all situations of armed conflict. 

The idea of imposing limits on war is as old as war itself. We find traces of these limitations in most civilizations, whether in the form of codes, treaties, religious texts or customs. Today, and throughout International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Month in August, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. The year 2024 also marks the 160th anniversary of the first Geneva Convention. The Geneva Conventions are still relevant after 75 years and this commemoration is a reminder of the importance of rallying our actions and obligations at the service of our common humanity. 

The Geneva Conventions are universally ratified. This means that all the world's states have expressed their willingness to respect the Geneva Conventions: they are bound by them, as they themselves are bound by a common humanity. They apply to all parties to a conflict in the same way, regardless of who has initiated hostilities. IHL does not stipulate whether the start of an armed conflict is legitimate or not, but seeks to regulate the behavior of the parties once it has begun. The obligation to respect and ensure respect for IHL subsists even in the absence of reciprocity: it must be respected even if the adversary does not.

In line with its obligation to respect and ensure respect for IHL as a High Contracting Party, Switzerland has made respect, promotion and implementation of IHL a constant feature of its foreign policy. As a matter of fact, a century and a half ago, Switzerland became the guarantor of the first Geneva Convention of 1864, embodying the two main elements of its then nascent foreign policy: neutrality and humanitarian tradition. In 1949, the country reiterated its call to create legal standards to regulate armed conflict. The Geneva Conventions illustrate Switzerland’s long-standing commitment to IHL as a central instrument for protecting the victims of armed conflict. 

Switzerland, the birthplace of these essential agreements, continues to champion their relevance and implementation, including here in the Philippines, where the principles of the Geneva Conventions are pertinent too. The country has also been facing its share of internal conflicts. Amid these challenges, the Geneva Conventions serve as a moral compass, reminding all parties of their obligations to protect non-combatants and respect humanitarian standards. 

By seeking to limit the effects of armed conflict, IHL can facilitate the return to peace. At this critical moment in history, marked by conflicts that have brought great suffering, respect for IHL must be a political priority. Because IHL saves lives. Because IHL sets limits. The cooperation between states that was at work in 1949 should inspire us. In this spirit, we would like to encourage the Philippines to consider recognizing the competence of the International Humanitarian Fact Finding Commission. Established by Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions, the Commission can make inquiries into violations, but also facilitate the restoration of an attitude of respect for IHL. By joining the 76 States, which have recognized the Commission so far, the Philippines would send a strong signal for international humanitarian law. 

One of the messages of the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 is that respect for IHL paves the way for a return to a situation of peace. This is in line with the new policy of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines to look at how IHL can be useful during a time of peace and how ensuring that IHL is followed in war can lead to better outcomes in peace. The recent efforts by the Philippine government to integrate international humanitarian law into national legislation underscore a significant step toward ensuring these norms are upheld.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions of 1949, the International Committee of the Red Cross together with the Embassy of Switzerland in the Philippines organized an exhibit at ArtistSpace. The photo exhibit includes the immersive film “If War Comes To You,” which allows visitors to experience any of the three roles: civilian, soldier, humanitarian worker. The exhibit is for free and can be visited in August. 

(Dr. Nicolas Brühl is the Swiss Ambassador to the Philippines since August 2023.)