(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) will host a consultative meeting of national societies in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) at Crowne Plaza Doha from January 12 to 14.
It will be attended by representatives of 31 Mena and non-Mena societies, including all Arab countries, Iran, France, America, the UK, Germany, Norway and Denmark.
Senior officials from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) - notably IFRC Secretary-General, Elhadj As Sy, and Under-Secretary-General, Matthias Schmale - and Dr Abdullah Mohamed Al Hazzaa, Secretary-General, Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organisation, will be among the guests at the meeting.
"QRC was selected to host the meeting in recognition of its role in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and extensive experience in relief, development, and humanitarian advocacy and diplomacy, particularly in such a strategic part of the world," QRC Secretary-General, Saleh bin Ali Al Mohannadi, told a press conference.
The meeting aims to unify efforts of Mena national societies and facilitate joint humanitarian action in light of recommendations adopted in the meetings in Cairo (2012), Tehran (2013), and Tunisia (2014), and International RCRC Movement constitutional meetings in Sidney (2013).
On the first day, participants will discuss current humanitarian conditions in Mena in general, and particularly in crisis-stricken countries such as Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Libya, Lebanon, and Jordan, and will explore ways to develop a unified regional strategy to approach them.
Issues to be discussed include the exchange of experience and capabilities for better disaster preparedness and response; systematic supervision and effective participation by national societies in relation to planning, IFRC contributions and follow-up on the decisions of the eight Asia Pacific conference, the eight Mena conference, and related forums.
Participants will also discuss how to promote the role of the youth, and prioritise the agenda of the national societies, keeping in mind challenges they face, mainly the increasing humanitarian needs and limited resources to meet them.
The meeting will come up with recommendations to improve the humanitarian situation in the region and identify mechanisms to enforce them.
Constitutional meetings will be held on the second day to discuss amendments proposed to the International RCRC Movement charter known as the Seville Agreement and RCRC coordination and guidelines for using Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems in the media.
The third day will focus on recommendations for the World Humanitarian Summit to be convened by the United Nations in Istanbul next year.
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