news 2 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
ICRC Grapples with Neutrality Challenges in New Report
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) faces growing scrutiny over its long-standing practice of engaging armed groups in conflict zones, as states view these contacts as threats to sovereignty and endorsements of insurgents. A 2025 assessment highlights expulsions and trust breakdowns in regions like Ethiopia's Ogaden and Azerbaijan's Karabakh. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/new-report-reveals-dilemma-icrc-faces-in-performing-its-mandate-5444334
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is navigating a complex dilemma in fulfilling its humanitarian mandate, according to its latest 2025 report. For decades, the organization has engaged with all parties in conflicts to deliver aid, but this neutrality is increasingly questioned by governments.
States perceive ICRC dialogues with armed groups as legitimizing separatism and undermining sovereignty. The report notes contacts with 383 such groups across more than 60 countries, affecting areas home to about 204 million people. Roughly three-quarters of these groups are actively engaged.
In Africa, the challenges are stark. Ethiopia expelled the ICRC from the Ogaden region in 2007 after 12 years, accusing it of supporting the Ogaden National Liberation Front insurgents. Return efforts failed, with operations barred even by 2011.
The South Caucasus provides another stark example. In Karabakh, within Azerbaijan’s borders, the ICRC worked with Armenian separatists for decades since 1992, including a 1994 memorandum. Azerbaijan saw this as recognizing an illegitimate regime, leading to a delegation closure in 2025 amid eroded trust.
The report stresses that while Swiss neutrality and discreet diplomacy define the ICRC, opacity fuels suspicions. Ultimately, trust from states is essential for the organization’s work to succeed.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)