List of parties to the Geneva Conventions explained

The Geneva Conventions, which were most recently revised in 1949, consist of seven individual treaties which are open to ratification or accession by any sovereign state. They are:

The four 1949 Conventions have been ratified by 196 states, including all UN member states, both UN observers (the Holy See and the State of Palestine}, as well as the Cook Islands. The Protocols have been ratified by 174, 169 and 79 states respectively. In addition, Article 90 of Protocol I states that "The High Contracting Parties may at the time of signing, ratifying or acceding to the Protocol, or at any other subsequent time, declare that they recognize ipso facto and without special agreement, in relation to any other High Contracting Party accepting the same obligation, the competence of the [International Fact-Finding] Commission to enquire into allegations by such other Party, as authorized by this Article."[1] 76 states have made such a declaration.

Parties to the 1949 Conventions and Protocols I–III

State[2] [3] [4]

!colspan=5

Year of ratification/accession/succession[5] Notes
GC [6] [7] [8] [9] Protocol I[10] Protocol II[11] Protocol III[12] Prot. I
Art. 90
Declaration
[13]
Afghanistan195620092009——
Albania1957199319932008—
Algeria196019891989—1989
Andorra1993————
Angola198419842019S—
Antigua and Barbuda198619861986——
Argentina19561986198620111996
Armenia1993199319932011—
Australia19581991199120091992
Austria19531982198220091982
Azerbaijan1993————
Bahamas197519801980——
Bahrain197119861986——
Bangladesh197219801980——
Barbados196819901990——
Belarus19541989198920111989Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–II ratified as the .
Belgium19521986198620151987
Belize1984198419842007—
Benin196119861986——
Bhutan1991————
197619921983S1992
Bosnia and Herzegovina199219921992S1992
Botswana196819791979——
Brazil19571992199220091993
199119911991——
Bulgaria19541989198920061994
Burkina Faso19611987198720162004
Burundi197119931993S—
Cambodia195819981998——
Cameroon1963198419842021—
Canada19651990199020071990
Cape Verde198419951995S1995
Central African Republic196619841984——
Chad197019971997——
Chile19501991199120081991
China195619831983——Conventions I–IV ratified as the which was a signatory in 1956.
was declared by China to be covered by its ratification of Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–II from 20 December 1999,[14] [15] the same date Portugal renounced their obligations for the territory following the transfer of sovereignty over Macau to China.
Hong Kong was declared by China to be covered by its ratification of Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–II from 1 July 1997,[16] the same date the UK renounced their obligations for the territory[17] [18] following the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong to China.
Colombia196119931995S1996
Comoros198519851985——
196119822002—2002
196719831983S—
Cook Islands20022002200220112002
Costa Rica19691983198320081999
Cote d'Ivoire196119891989——
Croatia19921992199220071992
Cuba195419821999——
Cyprus19621979199620072002
Czech Republic19931993199320071995
Denmark19511982198220071982All the treaties extended to the Faroe Islands and to Greenland.
Djibouti197819911991——
Dominica198119961996——
Dominican Republic1958199419942009—
Ecuador1954197919792020—
Egypt195219921992——
El Salvador1953197819782007—
Equatorial Guinea198619861986——
Eritrea2000————
Estonia19931993199320082009
Ethiopia196919941994S—
Fiji1971200820082008—
Finland19551980198020091980
France1951200119842009—
Gabon196519801980——
196619891989——
Georgia1993199319932007—
Germany19541991199120091991
Ghana195819781978S—
Greece19561989199320091998
Grenada198119981998——
Guatemala1952198719872008—
Guinea198419841984—1993
Guinea-Bissau197419861986——
Guyana1968199819982009—
Haiti195720062006S—
195119851985——
Honduras1965199519952006—
Hungary19541989198920061991
Iceland19651987198720061987
India1950————
Indonesia1958————
1957SS——
Iraq19562010———
Ireland196219991999S1999
Israel1951——2007—
Italy19511986198620091986
Jamaica196419861986S—
Japan195320042004—2004
Jordan195119791979——
Kazakhstan1992199219922009—
Kenya1966199919992013—
Kiribati1989————
19571988———
196619821982S2004
Kuwait196719851985—2013
Kyrgyzstan1992199219922019—
195619801980—1998
Latvia1991199119912007—
Lebanon195119971997——
Lesotho19681994199420202010
Liberia195419881988——
Libya195619781978——
Liechtenstein19501989198920061989
Lithuania19962000200020072000
Luxembourg19531989198920151993
19931993199320081993
Madagascar19631992199220181993
Malawi196819911991—2014
Malaysia1962————
Maldives199119911991——
Mali196519891989—2003
Malta196819891989S1989
Marshall Islands2004————
Mauritania196219801980——
Mauritius197019821982——
Mexico19521983—2008—
199519951995——
1993199319932008—
Monaco19502000200020072007
Mongolia195819951995—1995
Montenegro200620062006—2007
Morocco195620112011——
Mozambique198319832002——
Myanmar1992————
Namibia199119941994—1994The United Nations Council for Namibia acceded to Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–II in 1983.[19] Namibia succeeded to Conventions I-IV in 1991,[20] and Protocols I-II in 1994.[21]
Nauru2006200620062012—
Nepal1964——S—
Netherlands19541987198720061987Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–III have been extended to Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands.[22] [23] [24] [25]
New Zealand19591988198820131988 Niue is considered bound by New Zealand's ratification of Conventions I–IV in 1959 by the International Committee of the Red Cross[26] [27] on the basis of Niue's enactment of its own Geneva Conventions Act 1958.[28]
New Zealand declared that its ratification of Protocols I–II does not extend to the Cook Islands (which subsequently independently ratified the Protocols), Niue and Tokelau.[29]
Nicaragua1953199919992009—
Niger196419791979——
Nigeria196119881988——
Norway19511981198120061981
Oman197419841984——
Pakistan1951SS——
Palau199619961996——
20142014201520152018The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) unilaterally declared itself bound by Conventions I–IV and Protocol I in 1982.
In 1989, the PLO submitted a letter to the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs which stated in part that the State of Palestine had decided to "adhere to the Four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 and the two Protocols additional thereto."[30] However, the Swiss Government, which acts as the depositary for the Conventions, responded by stating that it was "not in a position to decide whether this communication can be considered as an instrument of accession" due to "the incertainty [sic] within the international community as to the existence or non-existence of a State of Palestine."[31] In 1990, the PLO submitted a "Memorandum on the accession of the State of Palestine to the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949" to the depository and requested that the issue be reconsidered. However, the Swiss Government reiterated its prior conclusions.[32]
Following the United Nations General Assembly passing a resolution granting non-member observer state status to Palestine in November 2012, Palestine acceded to Conventions I-IV and Protocol I in April 2014.[33] In January 2015 Palestine acceded to Protocols II and III.[34]
Panama19561995199520121999
Papua New Guinea1976————
Paraguay19611990199020081998
Peru1956198919892018—
Philippines201219862006—
Poland19541991199120091992
Portugal19611992199220141994
Qatar197519882005—1991
Romania19541990199020151995
195419891989S1989Conventions I–IV and Protocols I and II ratified as the .
Declaration under Article 90 of Protocol 1 withdrawn in 2019.[35] [36]
Rwanda196419841984—1993
Saint Kitts and Nevis198619861986—2014
Saint Lucia198119821982——
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines198119831983—2013
Samoa198419841984——
San Marino1953199419942007—
Sao Tome and Principe197619961996——
Saudi Arabia196319872001——
Senegal196319851985——
Serbia20012001200120102001Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–II ratified as the .
Seychelles198419841984—1992
Sierra Leone196519861986S—
Singapore1973——2008—
Slovakia19931993199320071995
Slovenia19921992199220081992
Solomon Islands198119881988——
Somalia1962————
South Africa195219951995——
2013201320132013—
Spain19521989198920101989
Sri Lanka1959————
Sudan195720062006——
Suriname1976198519852013—
197319951995——
Sweden19531979197920141979
Switzerland19501982198220061982
19531983———
Tajikistan199319931993—1997
196219831983S—Conventions I–IV ratified as .
Thailand1954————
Timor-Leste2003200520052011—
Togo196219841984S1991
Tonga197820032003—2003
Trinidad and Tobago196320012001—2001
Tunisia195719791979——
Turkey1954——S—
Turkmenistan199219921992——
Tuvalu1981————
Uganda1964199119912008—
Ukraine19541990199020101990Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–II ratified as the .
United Arab Emirates197219831983—1992
United Kingdom19571998199820091999Protocols I–III have been extended to all three Crown dependencies and to 13 of the 14 British Overseas Territories (excluding Gibraltar).[37] [38] [39]
United States1955SS2007—Signed in 1949.[40] Ratified June 9, 1955.[41] Protocols I–II not ratified
Uruguay19691985198520121990
Uzbekistan199319931993——
Vanuatu198219851985——
195619981998——
19571981———Conventions I–IV ratified as the .
Also ratified by the State of Vietnam in 1953 and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam in 1973 prior to Vietnamese reunification.
Yemen197019901990——Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–II ratified as .[42]
Conventions I–IV also ratified by in 1977 prior to Yemeni unification.[43]
Zambia196619951995——
Zimbabwe198319921992——
Totals
Ratified1961741697976
Signed only03320N/A
Notes

Former states parties

The following states were party to the Geneva Conventions I–IV, but their ratifications have not been recognised as applying to any succeeding state under international law:

Authorities making a unilateral declaration

Article 96.3 of Protocol I allows for an "authority representing a people engaged against a High Contracting Party in an armed conflict" to make a unilateral declaration to apply the four Conventions and Protocol I with respect to that conflict. As of 2015 this provision has been utilized by the Polisario Front in 2015.

Parties to the 1864 Geneva Convention

The first ten articles of the First Geneva Convention were concluded in 1864. This was the original Geneva Convention. The following states were parties to the 1864 Geneva Convention.

State[46] GC 1864[47] Notes
Argentina1879
1866
Baden1864Original signatory.
1866Represented by Joseph Théodore Dompierre in the negotiations
Belgium1864Original signatory.
1879
Brazil1906
Bulgaria1884
1896The Union of South Africa was recognized as the successor state of this ratification.
Chile1879
1904
Colombia1906
1888
1907
Denmark1864Original signatory.
Dominican Republic1907
Ecuador1907
El Salvador1874
France1864Original signatory.
1906
1865
Guatemala1903
Haiti1907
1866Original signatory.
Holy See1868
Honduras1898
Persia1874
1864Original signatory.
1886
1903[48]
Luxembourg1888
Mecklenburg-Schwerin1895
Mexico1905
1875
Netherlands1864Original signatory.
Nicaragua1898
1897[49]
1865
Panama1907
Paraguay1907
Peru1880
1866Original signatory.
1865Original signatory.
Romania1874
1867
1866
Serbia1876
Spain1864Original signatory.
1864
Switzerland1864Original signatory.
Siam1895
1865
1882
Uruguay1900
1894
Württemberg1864Original signatory.
Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I), 8 June 1977. 2013-07-22. International Committee of the Red Cross.
  2. Web site: Protection des victimes de la guerre. 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  3. Web site: 1949 Conventions and Additional Protocols, and their Commentaries. International Committee of the Red Cross. 2013-07-16.
  4. Web site: Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war. 2016-04-16. United Nations Treaty Collection.
  5. "S" indicates that the state has signed but has not ratified.
    "—" indicates that the state has taken no action.
  6. Web site: Conventions de Genève pour la protection des victimes de la guerre: Convention pour l'amélioration du sort des blessés et des malades dans les forces armées en campagne. 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  7. Web site: Conventions de Genève pour la protection des victimes de la guerre: Convention pour l'amélioration du sort des blessés, des malades et des naufragés des forces armées sur mer. 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  8. Web site: Conventions de Genève pour la protection des victimes de la guerre: Convention relative au traitement des prisonniers de guerre. 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  9. Web site: Conventions de Genève pour la protection des victimes de la guerre: Convention relative à la protection des personnes civiles en temps de guerre. 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  10. Web site: Protocole additionnel aux Conventions de Genève du 12 août 1949 relatif à la protection des victimes des conflits armés internationaux (Protocole I). 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  11. Web site: Protocole additionnel aux Conventions de Genève du 12 août 1949 relatif à la protection des victimes des conflits armés non internationaux (Protocole II). 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  12. Web site: Protocole additionnel aux Conventions de Genève du 12 août 1949 relatif à l'adoption d'un signe distinctif additionnel (Protocole III). 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  13. Web site: Protocole additionnel aux Conventions de Genève du 12 août 1949 relatif à la protection des victimes des conflits armés internationaux (Protocole I) - Etats ayant fait la déclaration prévue à l'article 90. 2014-10-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland. French.
  14. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protection of War Victims. 2000-07-07. 2013-07-16. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  15. Web site: Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 - China. 2013-07-16. International Committee of the Red Cross.
  16. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protection of War Victims. 1999-06-28. 2013-07-16. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  17. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protection of War Victims. 1997-06-24. 2013-07-16. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  18. Web site: Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 - United Kingdom. 2013-07-16. International Committee of the Red Cross.
  19. Web site: Accession of the United Nations Council for Namibia to the four Conventions and the two Protocols Additional. 1983-11-30. 2014-04-17. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  20. Web site: Succession by Namibia to the Conventions. 1991-10-25. 2014-04-17. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  21. Web site: Declaration by Namibia. 1994-07-27. 2014-04-17. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  22. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protoection of War Victims. 1987-07-10. 2013-08-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  23. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protoection of War Victims. 2006-12-15. 2013-08-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  24. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protoection of War Victims. 2011-10-17. 2013-08-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  25. The Conventions I–IV and Protocols I–III were originally extended to the Netherlands Antilles prior to its dissolution into Aruba in 1986, and Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands in 2010.
  26. Web site: Niue. 2013-07-17. International Committee of the Red Cross.
  27. Web site: State Parties to the Following International Humanitarian Law and Other Related Treaties as of 29-Sep-2014. 2014-09-29. 2014-10-15. International Committee of the Red Cross.
  28. Web site: Niue Laws. Government of Niue. 2006. 2013-07-16.
  29. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protoection of War Victims. 1988-03-15. 2013-08-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  30. Web site: Geneva Conventions for the protection of war victims of 12 August 1949 and Additional Protocols of 8 June 1977 Ratifications, accessions and successions as at 31 December 1996. 1997-04-30. 2014-10-14. International Committee of the Red Cross.
  31. Web site: Note of information. 1989-09-13. 2013-07-16. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  32. Web site: Information note. 1990-12-11. 2016-04-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  33. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protection of War Victims. 2014-04-10. 2015-01-09. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  34. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protection of War Victims . 2015-01-09 . 2015-01-09 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150109224229/https://www.eda.admin.ch/content/dam/eda/en/documents/geneva-150109_en.pdf . 9 January 2015 .
  35. Web site: Указ Президента Российской Федерации от 16.10.2019 № 494 ∙ Официальное опубликование правовых актов . 2023-08-23 . publication.pravo.gov.ru.
  36. Web site: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/api-1977/state-parties/RU . 2023-08-23 . ihl-databases.icrc.org.
  37. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protoection of War Victims. 2002-11-01. 2013-08-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  38. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protoection of War Victims. 2011-07-01. 2013-08-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  39. Web site: Notification to the Governments of the States Parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the Protoection of War Victims. 2013-02-07. 2013-08-14. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  40. Web site: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Notification.xsp?documentId=D6B53F5B5D14F35AC1256402003F9920&action=OpenDocument. 2020-07-18. ihl-databases.icrc.org.
  41. Web site: June 27, 1955. GENEVA CONVENTIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF WAR VICTIMS - REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS ON EXECUTIVES D, E, F, AND G EIGHTY-SECOND CONGRESS FIRST SESSION. July 18, 2020. United States Department of Justice.
  42. Web site: Ratification of the Additional Protocols I and II by the Yemen Arab Republic. 1990-05-31. 2016-04-16. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  43. Web site: Declaration of Accession by the People's Republic of Yemen. 1977-06-27. 2016-04-16. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  44. Web site: Autorité ayant fait la déclaration unilatérale prévue à l'article 96, paragraphe 3. 2015-06-30. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  45. Web site: Unilateral declaration pursuant to Article 96, paragraph 3, of Protocol I. 2015-06-26. 2015-06-30. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
  46. Web site: Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field. Geneva, 22 August 1864. 2013-07-16. International Committee of the Red Cross.
  47. Year the state ratified or acceded to the 1864 version of the First Geneva Convention.
  48. Web site: History . http://web.archive.org/web/20120406195055/http://www.redcross.or.kr/eng/eng_introduce/introduce_krc_history.do . 2012-04-06 . Following the Korean empire’s signing of Geneva Conventions I and II in 1903, Emperor Gojong established the Red Cross society in Korea in 1905. .
  49. Web site: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/gc-1864/state-parties. http://web.archive.org/web/20231118064848/https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/ihl-treaties/gc-1864/state-parties . 2023-11-18 . Orange Free State 28.09.1897.

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