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Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s economic capital, has been hosting since Monday, May 4, 2026, the 10th international off-site training session on international human rights law. Held at the Grand Hôtel in the Plateau district, the week-long event brings together magistrates, lawyers, military personnel, and civil society actors to address key issues in international criminal law and international humanitarian law.

Organized under the theme “International Criminal Law and International Humanitarian Law,” this edition aims to enhance the expertise of 70 participants on critical topics such as the classification of war crimes, the documentation of human rights violations, and cooperation mechanisms with international courts. The stated objective is clear: to strengthen national capacities for the prevention, prosecution, and punishment of serious human rights violations.

At the opening ceremony, Alexandra Heldt, West Africa Director of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, firmly reiterated the universal demand for justice. “No authority, no rank, no status can serve as a shield against international justice,” she stressed. She welcomed the initiative’s tenth anniversary and praised its partnership with the René Cassin Foundation as exemplary. According to her, while international criminal law seeks to punish crimes after conflicts, international humanitarian law primarily aims to protect populations during hostilities.

Representing the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Jean Sansan Kambilé, Chief of Staff Bernard Kouamé emphasized the central role of legal knowledge in safeguarding fundamental rights. He noted that many violations stem from a lack of awareness of legal norms and commended the sustained commitment of technical and institutional partners, including the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Embassy of Korea in Côte d’Ivoire. He added that their contributions have helped position Côte d’Ivoire as a leading regional hub for human rights training.

Ollivier Gaël, Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Côte d’Ivoire, warned of the persistence of violence worldwide. Referring to ongoing conflicts that continue to claim civilian lives, he urged participants never to trivialize summary executions, sexual violence, or any other violations of human dignity. While acknowledging Côte d’Ivoire’s progress in human rights, he encouraged participants to become true “sentinels of human dignity.”

Sébastien Touzé, Director of the René Cassin Foundation, highlighted the symbolic significance of this 10th session in a global context marked by major crises, notably in Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza. For him, international humanitarian law is grounded in a fundamental principle: even in times of war, limits must be respected. He called for a rigorous and consistent system of international criminal justice applied with universal standards.

Closing the series of speeches, Dr. Christian Arnaud Adjélou, President of the National Human Rights Council, reaffirmed Côte d’Ivoire’s commitment to promoting and protecting human rights, noting that the country has ratified nearly all international instruments in this field.

Through this session, Abidjan reaffirms its ambition to establish itself as a regional platform for training, reflection, and action in international justice and the defense of fundamental rights.

Sylvain Dakouri, Correspondent