154th Course on the Law of Armed Conflict in Salon-de-Provence, 12-23 May 2014
(Newsletter 58 of the International Institute of Humanitarian Law (april-june 2014)
For the first time, the Institute, on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Ecole des Commissaires des Armées (ECA), ran its French Course on
the Law of Armed Conflict in French at the ECA military base in Salon-de-Provence(France).
The course was attended by French cadets from the ECA; French officers designated by the Service du commissariat des armées; French-speaking officers and military lawyers from different countries such as Burkina Faso, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Lebanon, Mali, Nigeria, Republic of Congo and Tunisia.
The course, following the model of the famous San Remo International Military Course on LOAC, provided the opportunity for the 65 participants attending to learn how to act in accordance with the principles and rules of LOAC with the aim of enabling them to apply the principles and rules of LOAC in a practical manner in a range of operational scenarios. The programme also included specific considerations for the practical application of LOAC in the contemporary operating environment.
The teaching staff was composed by Lieutenant-Colonel Chris De Cock (Course Director) and Major Cindy Birmann, both from Belgium; Lieutenant-Colonel Philippe Frin (Deputy Course Director), Lieutenant-Colonel Géry Balcerski, Captain (cre) Julie Marionneau* (all from France), and Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Michel Cambron from Canada.
The course was highly appreciated by all the participants. In consideration of the success that this initiative enjoyed, it will be repeated for the next three years according to the new MoU signed by Professor Fausto Pocar, President of the Institute, and General Emmanuel Legendre, Director of the ECA.
*
This officer, member of the famous French association named AMICAA, is now posted in Naples (NATO)
