AEGiS-IFRC: Red Cross Red Crescent endorses plan of action for Africa

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Red Cross Red Crescent endorses plan of action for Africa

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Cresent Societies - 13 September 2004

African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies today reaffirmed their commitment to scaling up their work in the fields of HIV/AIDS, health and food security, in particular by making better use of their network of volunteers and working more closely with their governments and partner organisations. The Algiers Plan of Action, which builds on a series of commitments made by national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies four years ago in Ouagadougou, was approved at the 6th Pan African Conference of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which ended in the Algerian capital today.

"Through this Plan of Action, you have consolidated the achievements of Ouagadougou. You have shown through this Plan of Action how the Red Cross and Red Crescent can continue to make the difference in this complex humanitarian world," said International Federation President Juan Manuel Suarez del Toro, who also thanked the Algerian Red Crescent for its hospitality in hosting the conference.

Confirming HIV/AIDS as Africa's most serious humanitarian challenge, the objectives contained in the Plan of Action include: helping to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS through education, fighting stigma and discrimination, and expanding the provision and use of protective means; supporting government efforts to increase access to antiretroviral treatment; and providing psycho-social support to orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. In addition, the document commits African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to ensure food security in populations made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, disasters and poverty, and to reduce illness and mortality in vulnerable populations and in emergency situations.

"These interventions are already being undertaken by most African National Societies. We would like to see a continent-wide implementation of this strategy through the plan of action, which calls for an integrated approach that utilises to the maximum our most precious resource - our grassroots network of volunteers," said Razia Essack-Kauaria, secretary general of the Namibian Red Cross, who headed the committee drafting the document.

"A key part of this plan of action is strengthening the institutional capacities, both at Secretariat and National Society levels to better meet these enormous humanitarian challenges," she added. "Equally, this conference has recognised the urgent need for us to forge strategic partnerships with governments - to which we have an auxiliary role in the humanitarian field - UN agencies, the private sector and other civil society actors so that we can make the most of each other's resources and skills and have much greater impact as we try to improve the lives of vulnerable communities."

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