Algeria: Senior Workshop on International Rules governing Military Operations – SWIRMO

Eighty senior officers from some 70 countries will be in Algers from 14 to 19 November for a workshop on the international rules governing military operations. This workshop, developed by the ICRC, supports the efforts of armed forces to comply with their legal obligations regarding compliance with and promotion of the law of armed conflict.

In the eight years that SWIRMO has been running, it has brought together senior officers from all over the world for a week of reflection and discussion on international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law. The workshop offers a unique environment that encourages the exchange of experiences and best practices. At the same time, it equips the participants to ensure respect for the laws that govern the conduct of military operations and the maintenance of public order.

Each year, SWIRMO is organized jointly by the ICRC and the armed forces of a specific country, and has become an important annual event. This is the ninth SWIRMO, previous workshops having taken place in Switzerland (2007, 2008 and 2010), France (2009), South Africa (2011), Malaysia (2012), Colombia (2013) and China (2014). The 2015 event, in Algeria, will be the first in an Arab country and only the second to take place in Africa. The workshop is being organized in close cooperation with the Algerian ministry of defence.

The ICRC's role in Algeria dates back to the war of liberation. At that time, the ICRC visited prisoners on both sides and facilitated their release. Today, the ICRC visits people detained in a number of prisons in the country, in accordance with our mandate, and as we do in most countries where we operate. We are also promoting IHL in Algeria and supporting the efforts of the Algerian authorities to promote and implement this area of the law.