Foreign Affairs State Minister Opens Regional IHL Workshop, Stresses Disarmament as Key to Upholding Humanitarian Law

Addis Ababa, March 5, 2026 (ENA)—A Regional High-Level Workshop on International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Disarmament convened today in Addis Ababa, bringing together regional experts, policymakers, and humanitarian actors to address the growing humanitarian consequences of armed conflict and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Opening the workshop, Hadera Abera, State Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, underscored the urgent need for coordinated international and regional action to mitigate the devastating human cost of conflict.

He emphasized that disarmament is not only a legal obligation under international law but also a practical pathway to strengthening compliance with International Humanitarian Law.

Ambassador Hadera highlighted Africa’s complex reality, noting that while the continent has endured devastating conflicts that have displaced millions and undermined development, it has also demonstrated remarkable resilience through regional initiatives and community-driven efforts to protect human dignity and promote peace.

He also outlined Ethiopia’s concrete measures toward humanitarian disarmament, including the work of the Ethiopian Mine Action Office, the implementation of the National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Programme, and the enactment of the Firearm Administration and Control Proclamation of 2020.

 Ethiopia’s continued leadership as co-chair of the IHL and Peace Work Stream was reaffirmed during the event.

The workshop featured remarks from Simone Casabianca Aeschlimann and Cordula Droege, Head of the Legal Division at the International Committee of the Red Cross, who stressed the importance of strengthening adherence to international humanitarian law amid evolving security challenges.

The event concluded with a high-level panel discussion involving Yibekal Gizaw, Director General for International Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia; Abayomi Nicholas Adeomi of the Small Arms and Light Weapons Division at ECOWAS; Sheku Sesay from the “Silencing the Guns” Secretariat of the African Union; and Eric Tollefsen of the ICRC’s Weapon Contamination Unit.

The panel was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, where participants exchanged experiences, lessons learned, and best practices aimed at strengthening regional cooperation on disarmament and reinforcing respect for International Humanitarian Law.