The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies welcomes this conference as an important opportunity to add necessary momentum to the impact of the Tampere Convention and to ensure its widest possible acceptance and practical application on the ground.

We salute the leadership of the Government of Finland for its pivotal role in the development of the Tampere Convention and for organizing this conference.

As the world's largest humanitarian network, with member Societies in almost every country, the International Federation has always been committed to ensuring that the victims of natural disasters and conflict receive the help and protection they need to alleviate their suffering and overcome their adversity.

From the founding years of our Movement late in mid-nineteenth century, we have recognized that an essential tool for achieving this goal is the development and promotion of international norms to ensure that relief can quickly reach those in need.

For this reason, we were very pleased to participate in the early discussions on the development of the Tampere Convention and we have committed ourselves to its promotion and dissemination through our own membership, as underlined in Final Goal 3.2 of the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in 2003.

The Tampere Convention is a ground-breaking instrument in many ways. Let me mention three specific reasons:

o First, while many international telecommunications instruments over the years have made provision to give priority status to emergency and distress communications, the Tampere Convention is the first binding instrument to comprehensively address the telecommunications needs of international disaster relief operations.

o Second, the Tampere Convention is one of the few major disaster response treaties to recognize the critical and growing role of non-state actors in international relief, including the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement and NGOs. Article 5 is a particularly remarkable step in this regard, by providing crucial privileges and immunities.

o Third, and most importantly, the Tampere Convention creates a rational framework for cooperation in the telecommunications sector of international disaster relief. This is an important improvement in the otherwise rather scattered, and incoherent framework of international law in disaster response.

For these reasons, we feel that the Tampere Convention has the potential to really improve our ability to save lives.

The Federation and its member societies rely heavily on telecommunications technology - old and new - to carry out successful relief operations.

We have often encountered difficulties when importing our equipment into disaster-affected countries and obtaining the necessary licenses to use it.

When we are unable to use our equipment, our operations are not only slower -- which hinders our ability to save the lives of those affected -- but the safety of our own staff and volunteers is placed at greater risk.

I have referred here to the "potential" of Tampere to make a difference in operations. In the spirit of the stocktaking purpose of this conference, I must say that we are not there yet.

So where are further developments needed?

The Convention has been in force since January 2005, but many of the countries that have experienced major disaster operations since that time are not yet parties.

Even in countries that are parties, we have seen limited impact of the Convention. We still experience unnecessary barriers in the telecommunications aspect of our disaster operations.

What is needed is a

1) wider ratification of the treaty,

2) implementation of its provisions into national law, and

3) better dissemination and training on its provisions to relief actors, national authorities and other stakeholders.

We hope that this Conference will be a real step towards achieving these goals. The International Federation and its members are committed to do our part in spreading the word through our global network.

The Convention also makes reference to development of model agreements, MOUs and other implementing devices between governments and with relief organizations.

We stand ready to work with governments and with the Emergency Relief Coordinator as the "Operational Coordinator" of the Convention to develop such agreements for Red Cross/Red Crescent operations.

Let me finally put the Tampere Convention in a wider context. One way that it has already made a difference is by serving as a model for rule making in international disaster relief, an area that urgently needs further attention by the international community.

The reason is two-fold: there are still many obstacles for the transfer of aid across borders when a country is in need of international assistance; and there is still much to be asked in terms of quality and accountability when aid does arrive.

For this reason the International Federation launched its programme on International Disaster Response Laws, Rules and Principles (or "IDRL") in 2001.

In 2003, the Governments and National Societies meeting at the 28th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent endorsed our initiative, and asked us to report back with our findings to the 30th International Conference, which will take place in November 2007.

The Federation has carried out or commissioned over a dozen legal and operational studies and consulted widely with relevant stakeholders since that time.

Over the next year, we will organize a series of high-level regional meetings with governments and other stakeholders. The first of these, focused on Europe, was held in Antalya, Turkey last month.

What was emphasized by the participants at that meeting, and what we have found in our studies, is that there are a number of legal barriers to international aid that consistently arise in major disasters and that directly hinder our ability to save lives.

There are also important gaps of regulation, notably in the areas of coordination, quality and accountability.

The entry and use of telecommunications equipment is one but only one of these problem areas. International aid providers experience obstacles for example with customs, visas and registration with regard to other types of equipment, particularly vehicles, but also with relief goods such as food, medicines, and housing material.

Weak coordination is an ongoing problem that cuts across all sectors of relief.

Crucial as they are, radios, telephones and satellite systems cannot feed, house, clothe or protect people by themselves. It does little good to rush through the visas and customs clearance for telecommunications delegates and equipment, if the rest of a relief operation is still stuck at the border or cannot fully operate once in the country.

For us, the Tampere Convention has great significance in itself. But as a model for further structure to a still largely unregulated sector, we think that it will be even further important as a step toward the creation of an international consensus on legal preparedness that comprehensively addresses these problems.

I wish us all two fruitful days of deliberations towards strengthening the impact of the Tampere Convention and thereby becoming more effective and efficient in assisting and protecting those struck by natural and man-made disasters.