Implementing IHL in West Africa: Participation of West African countries in International Humanitarian Law Treaties and their National Implementation

Since 2001, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission have collaborated on implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in ECOWAS Member States.

While promoting key IHL treaties, and providing technical support for their implementation within Member States, the ICRC has worked with ECOWAS to create a platform for participants and experts from ECOWAS Member States to network and exchange views and experiences on contemporary IHL issues of concern.

In recent years, this platform has taken the form of an Annual Review Meeting on the Implementation of IHL in West Africa.

This report builds on the exchange of information and ideas at the 2017 Annual Review Meeting, looking at the domestication and integration of IHL treaties, as well as other measures taken by Member States to promote and disseminate IHL. Some of the thematic issues in the report include discussions on migration, counter-terrorism, weapons, internal displacement, and IHL in peace support operations.