RED CROSS RED CRESCENT
SIGNS PARTNERSHIPS WITH KEY AFRICAN STAKEHOLDERS
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 22,
2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The International...
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, October 22, 2012/African
Press Organization (APO)/ -- The International Federation of Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies (IFRC) today entered into formal partnerships with two key
African stakeholders, paving the way for increased cooperation between the
organizations which will ultimately result in improved services for those most
vulnerable.
Memorandums of understanding were signed with
the United Nations Economic Commission forAfrica (ECA), and
the Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS).
The partnerships will focus on promoting the economic and social
development of African countries, concentrating on initiatives to reduce
poverty; food security, nutrition and sustainable development; youth, gender
and sustainable development; climate change and disaster risk reduction; health
care and HIV/AIDS.
“This opens the door for us to gain access to
new areas of potential growth,” said Bekele Geleta, Secretary
General, IFRC. “For National Societies to thrive in the coming years, they need
to be attracting new methods of funding, with a greater emphasis on regional
bodies, government and the private sector. These agreements, signed today, will
help us move in that direction.”
The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa promotes the economic and social development of
its member states, fostering intra-regional integration, and promoting
international cooperation for Africa's development.
Its dual role as a regional arm of the UN positions it well to make unique
contributions to address the development challenges facing its member states.
“This is an opportunity for our two
organizations to complement one another as we seek long-term solutions to address Africa's vulnerabilities,” said Carlos Lopes, ECA Executive Secretary. “Jointly, we can
work to better identify, prepare, appraise, and implement development projects
and programmes, and then evaluate the success of those programmes. The result
will be improved programming and services for those who need it the most.”
The Permanent Inter-State Committee for Drought Control in the
Sahel invests in research for food security and the fight against the effects
of drought and desertification for a new ecological balance in the Sahel
region.
“CILSS and the IFRC are both committed to tackling food
insecurity and malnutrition which chronically affect Sahel and west African
populations, particularly women and children,” said Professor Al Housseini
Bretaudeau, CILSS Executive Secretary “This agreement will allow us to
collaborate and develop programmes to address these issues. It will help us
identify food insecurity earlier and enable earlier interventions. This will
build and develop country and regional capacities for food security and
nutrition management. This is a win-win-win arrangement for CILSS, the IFRC and
especially the African people.”
The signings come during the 8th Pan African Conference, being
hosted this year by the Ethiopian Red Cross. The conference brings together
hundreds of Red Cross Red Crescent leaders from 53 African nations and provides
the opportunity to discuss the humanitarian and development challenges facing
the continent. Held every four years, this year's theme is “Investing in
Africa”.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (IFRC) is the world's largest volunteer-based humanitarian network,
reaching 150 mil¬lion people each year through its 186 member National
Societies. Together, the IFRC acts before, during and after disasters and
health emergencies to meet the needs and improve the lives of vulnerable
people. It does so with impartiality as to nationality, race, gender, religious
beliefs, class and political opinions. For more information, please visit
www.ifrc.org. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and
Flickr.
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