Federation ready with assistance for one million in Iraq crisis
17 March 2003

The largest-ever emergency deployment by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in response to a potential refugee crisis is now ready to take place.

Some 30 Emergency Response Units are on stand-by to provide any refugee influx into countries neighbouring Iraq with vital life-support in the form of field hospitals, clinics, water and sanitation services. These units can provide assistance to upwards of one million people in a period of one month.

The International Federation also intends to boost the capacity of its member Red Crescent Societies in the region by providing logistics and telecommunications support to their efforts to provide shelter to 250,000 people or more: 100,000 in Iran; 80,000 in Turkey; 25,000 in Syria and 25,000 in Jordan. Additional relief items for 20,000 people are available from regional stocks.

“The consequences of conflict in the region will be disastrous for the most vulnerable, particularly if the UN Oil-for-Food programme is disrupted. This is why we are placing so much emphasis on pre-positioning in neighbouring countries for any outflow of displaced people,” said Didier Cherpitel, Secretary General of the International Federation.

The Emergency Response Units are developed by and staffed with personnel from the Red Cross Societies of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Denis McClean, Head, Media Service - Tel: + 41 22 730 44 28 / + 41 79 217 33 57
Marie-Françoise Borel, Information officer - Tel: + 41 22 730 43 46 / + 41 79 217 33 45
Media Service Duty Phone - Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.