The People's Republic of Benin acceded, on 28 May 1986, to the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

During his stay in Geneva, Mr. Richard von Weizsäcker, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, visited the International Committee of the Red Cross on 12 June 1986. He was received by Mr. Alexandre Hay, President of the ICRC, and members of the Committee and Directorate. Mr. von Weizsäcker and Mr. Hay discussed various humanitarian issues during their meeting, which gave the ICRC President the opportunity to emphasize how much the Federal Republic of Germany's support to the institution'activities was appreciated.

Mr. Abdou Diouf, President of the Republic of Senegal and current Chairman of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and Mrs. Abdou Diouf, Honorary President of the Senegalese Red Cross, visited the ICRC on 18 June 1986.

Mr. Diouf was received by Mr. Alexandre Hay, President of the ICRC, members of the Committee and Directorate and heads of the main services of the institution. Cheikh Hamidou Kane, Minister of Planning and Co-operation, Mr. Andre Sonko, Minister of Public Offices, Work and Employment, Mrs. Mantoulaye Guene, Minister of Social Development, and Mr. Alioune Sene, Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative of Senegal to the Office of the United Nations at Geneva, accompanied Mr. Diouf during his visit.

The General Assembly of the League held its sixth session from 18 to 20 October 1986 in the presence of representatives from 108 National Societies.

The Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros deposited with the Swiss Government, on 21 November 1985, its instrument of accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and to the Additional Protocols I and II adopted on 8 June 1977.

Mr. Maurice Aubert, Vice-President of the ICRC, went on mission from 8 to 28 February to the Far East and the Pacific which brought him to Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand and Australia.

In each of the countries visited, Mr. Aubert met government officials, members of parliament and senior staff members of National Red Cross Societies. He discussed various issues of humanitarian interest with them, particularly with regard to the activities of the ICRC in the world and the ratification of the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions.

The food situation in the Planalto has improved thanks to a good harvest obtained from the seed distributed by the ICRC last October. This made it possible to reduce the assistance programme: the number of persons assisted by the ICRC, which in January amounted to 243,000, went down to 170,000 in March and 107,000 in April, and most feeding centres in Bié province were closed down.

On 19 September 1985 Mexico City and the provinces along the Pacific coast were hit by a strong earthquake which left over 5,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands homeless. The rehousing of survivors was and remains the most imperative problem, since almost 100,000 persons are still living in temporary shelters.

Saint Christopher and Nevis deposited with the Swiss Government, on 14 February 1986, an instrument of succession to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and of accession to the two Additional Protocols of 8 June 1977.

According to practice and to the final clauses, the four Conventions came into effect for Saint Christopher and Nevis on 19 September 1983, retroactively the date of its independence. The two Additional Protocols will enter into force on 14 August 1986, i.e. six months after registration of the instrument of accession.

On 21 November 1985, the Holy See deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of ratification of Protocols I and II additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 relating to the protection of the victims of international and non-international armed conflicts, adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977. This instrument of ratification was accompanied by a declaration reproduced hereafter.

Throughout the entire duration of the meetings in Geneva an Information and Press Service whose members belonged to the ICRC, the League and the Swiss Red Cross Information Offices published a “Daily Bulletin” to provide the participants at the Conference with information. This Bulletin came out simultaneously in English, French and Spanish during the actual Conference itself. During meetings of the League, the Bulletin also appeared in Arabic.

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea deposited with the Swiss Government its instruments of accession to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and to Additional Protocols I and II adopted on 8 June 1977.

Pursuant to their provisions, the Geneva Conventions and the Protocols will enter into force for the Republic of Equatorial Guinea on 24 January 1987.

The Italian Republic ratified, on 27 February 1986, the Protocols Additionnal to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

The Review is happy to publish the statement by the President of the ICRC on “The International Committee of the Red Cross and the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions”, which was submitted to Commission I on 28 October 1986 during the discussions on the current number of signatures and ratifications of and accessions to the Additional Protocols. (See also p. 329).

By ratifying the two Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the Protection of Victims of International (Protocol I) and Non-International (Protocol II) Armed Conflicts and adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977, the Holy See wishes, first of all, to acknowledge the merits and the positive results obtained by the “Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts”, in which it played an active part.

On 29 July 1986 Jamaica deposited with the Swiss Government an instrument of accession to the Protocols additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

In accordance with their provisions, the Protocols will come into force for Jamaica on 29 January 1987.