Getting yourTrinity Audioplayer ready…Geneva, Switzerland, 21 October 2025Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, urged international action to uphold and enforce International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in the midst of global conflicts.Delivering his address at the 151st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva on Tuesday, Speaker Mudenda spoke on the theme “Upholding Humanitarian Norms and Supporting Humanitarian Action in Times of Crisis.”He reminded the global community of its moral and legal obligation to protect civilians caught in conflict zones around the world.The Speaker criticized the selective application of humanitarian principles, which he said continue to endanger the lives of millions. With over 350 million people worldwide displaced or affected by war, he argued that the international community can no longer afford inaction or indifference.“Humanitarian norms must not be subject to the whims of geopolitical and economic interests,” he asserted. “We need action now. Not just to preserve life, but to protect human dignity.”He outlined the devastating consequences of unchecked conflict. These result in rampant food insecurity, mass displacement, infrastructure collapse, and the erosion of global peace. He praised the IPU for placing humanitarian norms at the centre of its Assembly theme, highlighting multilateralism as the essential foundation for a coordinated, just, and lawful response to crises.Hon Mudenda also reaffirmed the Geneva Conventions as the backbone of humanitarian law, stressing the need for unimpeded humanitarian access, the protection of medical facilities, and the safety of aid workers.The Speaker cited the African Union’s Kampala Convention as a leading framework for internal displacement and humanitarian protection. He urged stronger parliamentary oversight and political will to fully implement its provisions. He also referenced SADC’s disaster preparedness and coordinated response frameworks as regional best practices.Addressing the ongoing crises in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, Speaker Mudenda decried the inconsistent enforcement of humanitarian law. He added that it undermines global solidarity and the rule of law. He extended his call to crisis-affected regions like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Sudan, where war, famine, and the destruction of infrastructure continue to devastate lives.“Let us rise above politics, above borders, and above indifference,” he urged. “Let us stand together in hope and in action for the victims of conflict, for peace, and for the preservation of our shared humanity.”
Getting yourTrinity Audioplayer ready…
Geneva, Switzerland, 21 October 2025
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