Canada recently published its first voluntary report on the implementation of international humanitarian law (IHL), highlighting its efforts to comply with IHL rules. However, the report overlooks key challenges and critical issues, leaving gaps that future reports should address.

In this post, Professor Tiwa Fomekong examines the achievements described in Canada’s report alongside its omissions, arguing that for such reports to reach their full potential as tools for enhancing respect for IHL and accountability, future efforts must be more comprehensive and transparent in addressing shortcomings, detailing corrective actions, and tackling emerging issues.