Mr High Commissioner,
Your initiative in convening this conference has been welcomed
by all members of our worldwide International Federation, and
particularly by the Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies in
Iraq and its neighbours.
The way you have organised the meeting, and the fact that you
have invited twelve members of our Federation to attend the
meeting, underlines your deep commitment to responding to the
critical situation which has developed, and preparing the world
for the possibility that this situation will continue to worsen.
Our concern has been built from the experience of the regional
National Societies themselves. They, like all our members, are
united by dedication to the fundamental principles of our Movement,
and in particular to the principles of Humanity, Impartiality
and Neutrality in the very difficult environment of the Middle
East.
I will not address the environment itself: it already has been
well described today by my colleague the Director General of
the ICRC. I will, however, speak of the humanitarian needs identified
by the Red Crescent Societies of Iraq, Jordan and Syria - whose
Presidents are with us today.
They are joined by their counterparts from the National Societies
of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Qatar,
United Arab Emirates, and their colleague from the General Secretariat
of Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies, based in Riyadh.
They share a wish to deepen international support for the people
of Iraq at this time, and I have had a most productive exchange
with them on the ways in which the IFRC and its sister institution
the ICRC help bring this about.
The International Federation has been actively concerned for
the humanitarian needs of the people of Iraq and its neighbours
for the last 15 years. The country arrived at the brink of structural
disaster following its conflict with Iran and many years of
sanctions, and the situation has continually worsened since.
We now see, as has been clear from statements at this Conference,
millions of innocent Iraqi civilians fleeing from their homes
to what they hope is safety, either elsewhere in Iraq or in
other countries.
Our immediate business is bringing humanitarian relief to meet
their needs and those of the populations supporting them.
But this is not the long-term answer. Every avenue must be explored
with the aim of bring back peace, security, livelihoods and
a future for Iraq and its proud people.
One such avenue is support for institutions which exist in Iraq
and which are dedicated to these ideals.
I can say, with full objectivity, that the most prominent of
such institutions is the Iraqi Red Crescent. It has managed,
despite all that has happened, to maintain its structure of
18 fully operational branches in each Governorate. There are
currently 135 branch sub-offices, three hospitals , two psycho-social
centres, numerous other health facilities, nearly 2000 staff
and nearly 10,000 active volunteers.
We have done our best, with the strong support of our entire
membership and especially its regional members, to help the
Iraq Red Crescent maintain good governance and volunteer support
so it can cope with the disaster the country now faces.
It has, according to the most conservative estimates, brought
different forms of assistance to over 200,000 families, including
internally displaced people as well as many different categories
of socially vulnerable people. This means approximately one
million people so far.
This is where a well-functioning National Red Crescent or Red
Cross Society is unique. It is also one of the main reasons
why the IFRC's work to strengthen National Societies at all
levels, including community branches, is so important. We consider
that investment in the nation-wide institution of the National
Society is essential, and especially so in countries ravaged
by conflict, sectarian violence or other divisive characteristics.
Our assessment of needs is developed in the closest consultation
with the affected National Society itself, but also draws on
the experience we continue to gather in other national contexts.
In the case of Iraq, for example, we are able to assess needs
with some precision because of our work in such environments
as Somalia, Liberia, DR Congo - to mention just a few.
We emphasised these needs with the issue of an Emergency Appeal
on behalf of the Iraq Red Crescent in February, aiming to support
50,000 of the most vulnerable families in all 18 Governorates.
Our experience in Iraq has shown us that the most urgent needs
within the scope of the Iraq Red Crescent are in the health
sector. It is beyond the capacity of the government or any other
single institution to meet the critical health needs of the
Iraqi population in present circumstances, and the Red Crescent
has now launched a challenging program training 50,000 school
children in basic first aid techniques.
The need for such a program is obvious in current circumstances,
where hundreds of innocent Iraqi civilians suffer every day
from indiscriminate attacks and tens of thousands live in fear.
This program is a fair indication of what we hope this conference
will motivate: a readiness on the part of all concerned members
of the international community to support programs like this.
Despite its urgency, and despite the clear need for it to succeed,
we have still not been able to raise more than about 10% of
the 11 million Swiss Francs which would ensure its implementation.
Our support for the Iraqi Red Crescent is designed to help it
continue to bring its strength to the most vulnerable in every
corner of Iraq, every day.
This is needed in many contexts, including some beyond the health
sector itself. Children have special vulnerability in modern
Iraq. Food insecurity and malnutrition are problems in some
areas. Reports by the Iraq Red Crescent and the ICRC are ample
evidence of the scale of these and other problems.
The very fact that this conference is being held and that it
has such a wide range of senior national leaders in attendance
is evidence of the urgency of these needs.
Just as important now, however, are the needs of the Red Crescent
and Red Cross Societies in the neighbouring countries.
As I said earlier, it is a particular honour for me to speak
in the presence of the leaders of those Societies, and I pay
special tribute to the work being done for suffering populations
of Iraqis as well as their own people by the Syrian Arab Red
Crescent and the Jordanian Red Crescent.
But the harsh reality is that the Societies cannot do this work
without external support. They recognise that the humanitarian
imperatives created in Iraq will require the continued attention
of their Societies and their populations for years to come.
The International Federation has used its regional operational
infrastructure, with its base in the knowledge and skills of
the Societies, their staff and trained volunteers, to monitor
the emerging humanitarian challenges in Syria, Jordan and the
other neighbouring countries.
Our understanding of the way the situation was evolving, which
took account of the excellent work done by UNHCR, led us to
make a fresh technical assessment of the humanitarian needs,
concentrating on Syria and Jordan.
This technical assessment took place at the end of March 2007
- two weeks ago - and we are now sharing with other agencies
first-hand information on the acute needs faced by people in
a state of extreme vulnerability, particularly in the health
sector.
I have also had the benefit of detailed discussions with the
leadership of the Societies concerned. The scale of the problems
they face cannot be underestimated, and this meeting should
help consolidate understandings of who is best equipped to do
what, and with which partners.
I will return to this point, for the health sector is the area
which we see as the one demanding the highest priority for an
institution like ours with its network reaching out to every
community.
The technical assessment took account of the capacity and work
programs of the Red Crescent Societies in the neighbouring countries.
It noted that although there is a clear will to respond to the
acute needs which had entered their territory, capacity which
was built for the resident population simply could not cope
with the demands of the new arrivals.
Neither could government facilities. The result was, in Syria
for example, that the government and the Red Crescent Society
have together examined how best Syria can help Iraqis, and national
programs take account of the capacities of both.
This is an example of the value of National Societies as auxiliaries
to the public authorities in the humanitarian field, and we
in the International Federation are proud of the way our member
Societies have stood up to meet the needs.
The International Federation seeks to support its National Societies
in many ways in such circumstances, and we are using the technical
assessment just mentioned to help other international organisations
see with the greatest precision where they can direct their
efforts.
This includes providing our inputs on the needs of refugees
and IDPs, recognising all the time that for political and legal
reasons many of the terms in common use in the media cannot
be used in formal correspondence.
Nevertheless, the access which Red Crescent Societies enjoy
allows us to speak directly about vulnerability and solutions
for all people, irrespective of their legal status, and simply
on the basis of needs.
We undertook the technical mission to establish a clear framework
within which the International Federation and its member Societies
could support the Iraqi Red Crescent and the neighbouring Societies
as they went about the tasks forced onto them by this situation.
Several important immediate conclusions should be mentioned
now:
• There must be strong support for the National Societies
in Syria and Jordan to enable them to continue to meet the growing
needs which confront them and their own populations.
• This support should be aimed at enhancing the capacity
of both to respond, primarily in the areas of health care, community-based
first aid and social welfare.
• The resultant program should provide basic health care
services for over 50,000 Iraqis per month, for the next 12 months.
The overall cost will be between 10 and 12 million US dollars.
• The program will include some expansion and upgrading
for polyclinics and other facilities now operated by the Red
Crescent Societies in Syria and Jordan. This will include the
recruitment of more national staff, including specialists of
Iraqi origin. Medical and other supplies are obtained through
local sources wherever possible.
o It is worth noting here that the International Federation,
because of the strength of its network, relies heavily and successfully
on its in-country members. We are not a big "expatriate" organisation.
o There are also needs for certain specialised medicines, for
example for cancer patients.
• There are important priorities for children, primarily
in the areas of psycho-social support and books and other needs
for children at school.
• Food security and malnutrition are growing concerns
in parts of Iraq as well as for the people displaced elsewhere.
High Commissioner, it is a coincidence that our technical assessment
has just been completed, and that we are now in the process
of looking for support for the Societies in Iraq, Jordan and
Syria at the same time as this conference meets. Our ambition
is to provide emergency assistance for 150,000 beneficiaries
at this stage, mainly in the health area.
Their needs are detailed in a further emergency appeal which
was communicated to donors yesterday. It depicts in graphic
detail the way the International Federation and its member National
Societies in the region and elsewhere wish to proceed to meet
those needs, with a concentration on health care priorities.
It is available here today for interested delegations.
It, and the important statement made earlier by my colleague
the Director General of the ICRC, also demonstrates how our
worldwide Movement works in unity and with other partners.
This will be given still more meaning soon, for our Federation,
working actively with the ICRC, is now close to finalising an
arrangement with UNHCR for a model agreement which will be able
to be used by all National Societies when they work with UNHCR
in refugee-related situations.
It strengthens understandings of the key role of National Societies
as neutral and impartial bodies, working within our Movement's
Fundamental Principles to protect human dignity in all circumstances,
irrespective of religion, political affiliation or any other
point of difference.
This is the spirit which leads us to hope that delegations speaking
at this conference will concentrate on the desperate humanitarian
needs faced by the almost 4 million people who can now be categorised
as Iraqi refugees and IDPs.
The real number is much higher, of course, as millions more
can be said to be displaced by the destruction of their lives
and livelihoods, even though they may not have physically left
their homes.
That is why all delegations here should look to ways to support
organisations like ours and those in civil society whose community
roots make it possible to take much-needed assistance quickly
to those who need it most.
Such support must, of course, be in the form of hard and realisable
commitments. This is not a time for undelivered promises.
The assistance needs of which I have spoken today are what the
vulnerable people themselves need, and what they want.
In short, Visible action, Now.
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