Department of Defense Spokesperson Lisa Lawrence provided the following statement:
Today, senior representatives from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States, convened virtually for a meeting of the International Contact Group on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response.
The participants discussed the importance of mitigating civilian harm caused by military operations as well as responding effectively when civilian harm does occur. The participants also emphasized that efforts to mitigate and respond to civilian harm reflect mutual values and directly contribute to both mission success and public confidence in the armed forces.
All the representatives from participating countries, guided by their shared values and commitment to preserving international norms, expressed their commitment to promote civilian harm mitigation best practices within their respective armed forces.
