Côte d’Ivoire was not directly involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was, however, among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. At the signing ceremony in Dublin in 2022, Côte d’Ivoire said that the declaration is a reminder of obligations to comply with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and to protect civilians. It also stressed that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas is not purely a military and humanitarian issue, but also has effects on sustainable development.1
Côte d’Ivoire attended the first international follow-up conference on the Political Declaration in Norway in April 2024.
Statements and positions
At the first international follow-up conference on the Political Declaration, Côte d’Ivoire spoke during the session on Military Policy and Practice. It welcomed recommendations, in particular on collaborations on regional and subregional levels, and suggested the establishment of a guide for endorsing countries, that would bring together guidances on implementation.2
In statements to the United Nations General Assembly First Committee in 2012, 2017, 2019, and 2020, Côte d’Ivoire has reiterated its commitment to the protection of civilians in conflict.3
The Group of Friends on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, of which Côte d’Ivoire is a member, noted the adoption of the Political Declaration at the UN Security Council open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict on 23 May 2023.4 In 2024, the Group highlighted the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas across ongoing conflicts, and stressed that “the effective protection of civilians and civilian objects must be made a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations.” To that end, the Political Declaration was identified as providing “practical tools that ensure that protection is real and effective.”5
As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Côte d’Ivoire aligned with World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to ‘Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity’ in May 2016, including the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.”6