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In a letter dated 24 April 1972, which reached the Swiss Government on 10 May 1972, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates informed the Swiss Federal Council of that State's accession to the four 1949 Geneva Conventions.

In its letter of February 24, 1961, to the Federal Political Department in Berne, the Government of the Republic of the Congo (Leopoldville) confirms that this State would abide by the Geneva Conventions of 1949 as from June 30, 1960 when it became independent.

Since the Geneva Conventions were signed on August 12, 1949, the International Committee of the Red Cross has endeavoured to make these texts universal since they constitute the basis of humanitarian law. Recently, it has put the emphasis on their dissemination in Africa because, in the critical phase which this continent is going through, it seems particularly desirable that all African states feel themselves bound by these treaties.

On 21 January 1974, the International Committee of the Red Cross issued the following appeal to the 135 States parties to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949:On the resumption of hostilities in the Middle East, the ICRC renewed its offer of services to the States concerned, with a view to the discharge of all the duties assigned it under the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949. In so far as permitted by the competent authorities, it has been able to acquit itself of part of its mandate: several thousand prisoners of war have been visited and repatriated; casualties have been cared for; and civilian victims have been given assistance.

The Government of Grenada, in a letter dated 25 March 1981 addressed to the Swiss Federal Council and received on 13 April 1981, confirmed its participation in the four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the protection of the victims of war, pursuant to their ratifification by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Republic of Lithuania acceded on 3 October 1996, without making any declaration or reservations, to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949.

In the March issue of International Review we gave information on the campaign which had been started in African schools in order to make widely known the sign of the Red Cross, through the medium of a textbook entitled The Red Cross and My Country. This wide campaign aroused both among youth and the authorities an increasing interest. It was stated in that issue that by the end of February the textbook, in French and English, had been distributed in schools in fourteen countries.

The Republic of Kenya acceded on 23 February 1999, without making any
declaration or reservation, 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 relating to the Protection of
Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in
Geneva on 8 June 1977.

August 12, 1949 was an important date in world history. It was on that day that the plenipotentiaries of some sixty States signed the fundamental charters of humanity which are known as the four Geneva Conventions, and which protect the victims of armed conflicts: the first, the military wounded and sick; the second, the victims of war at sea; the third, the prisoners of war; and the fourth—which was entirely new—civilians. After the suffering of the population in occupied countries during the Second World War, such a treaty appeared to be vitally necessary and urgent. As Max Huber said, the development towards total war has made danger and hardship equal for armies and population.