On Wednesday, the Biden administration (US) has imposed a “temporary freeze” on U.S. arms sales to parties to Yemen conflict. This review process will take time, but HI welcomes it as a first step to stop fueling the conflict in Yemen.
On 6th of January, the National Defense Commission of the Belgian Federal Parliament met to discuss a draft resolution on EWIPA.
The pandemic has made 2020 an unusual year, kept us physically far from each other but united more than ever to show that humanitarian disarmament is as relevant, and perhaps even more relevant, than before this pandemic.
On the 10th of December, we gathered 25 German and French Parliamentarians and their representatives in a virtual discussion to enter a French-German dialogue on the better protection of civilians from the impact of explosive weapons.
On 26th of October, a new report was launched by Airwars and Pax – our partners in the International Network on Explosive Weapons.
Dr. Klaus Lederer, Mayor of Berlin and Senator, Dr. Inez Kipfer-Didavi, Managing Director of Handicap International Germany, and Nivin Almaksour, Syrian survivor of explosive weapons, laid a wreath at the “Memorial for Unknown Civilians” in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
The use of heavy explosive weapons in the cities of Ganja and Stepanakert, and other towns and populated areas in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is killing and injuring civilians, and destroying vital infrastructure.
At the eve of a new military deployment of four Belgian F16 fighter jets in Iraq and Syria, 11 Belgian and international organisations* urge the Belgian government to take immediate steps to improve its level of transparency and accountability for potential civilian casualties.
Six months after the global ceasefire appeal issued by UN Secretary General Guterres, HI together with other aid organisations warns about the lack of progress towards peace globally, which is leaving millions suffering from the impacts of both war and the global COVID-19 pandemic.