NATO Mission Iraq  /  Newsroom  /  News  /  2024  /  Iraqi Officials participate in Humanitarian Law Course in Italy

This training activity concludes a three-part training sequence on IHL funded by NATO DCB. The aim of the course is to enable those officers at the Defence staff, service headquarters and/or from other military organisations who are in charge of planning the LOAC education, to analyse the needs, define the objectives, develop the teaching programmes and to integrate them in the programmes of the continuous education of the different categories of personnel within the armed forces. The course is designed for military officers, military lawyers and others responsible planning LOAC education or who are involved in writing doctrine, determining training requirements, curriculum development, the design of course modules and materials for LOAC education within their armed forces (Directors) and military officers and military lawyers responsible for teaching LOAC (Instructors).

Image of "Course for Directors and Instructions of Training Porgrammes in IHL"

Image of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Committee of Experts within the Iraqi Ministry of Defence with course certificates.

IHL places a duty on states to ensure knowledge of and respect for the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC). This duty obliges states to ensure that all members of their armed forces are properly trained in the LOAC according to the requirements of the various levels of responsibility. The LOAC is a vast subject, requiring different approaches according to the specific circumstances.

NMI supports Iraqi Security Forces and institutions through advice and capacity-building activities, performed by advisors and international experts from NATO countries and NATO partners. This includes sharing procedures and best practices and supporting the development of its training and educational institutions, sometimes by offering selected out-of-country activities.