The Ouagadougou Commitment
September 25 2000

International Together, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of Africa are committed to defeating the diseases and food shortages which are decimating millions of people each year on the continent. Today, the Presidents and Secretaries general of 51 Societies signed the Ouagadougou Commitment, which marked the closing of the fifth PanAfrican Conference, held in the capital of Burkina Faso, from September 21 to 25.

The document calls for a massive increase in resources to finance and implement vastly expanded programmes and to urgently and concretely address public health and food security issues in Africa. The recruitment, training and motivation of volunteers will also be improved.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic was identified as the first among health priorities, which also include the fight to curb malaria, tuberculosis and diarrhoeal diseases. "The Ouagadougou meeting has allowed us to re-examine our approach to combating the AIDS pandemic", underlined Mrs Bana Ouadaongo, Chairman of the Conference and President of the Burkina Faso Red Cross. A multi-disciplinary strategy has been adopted, she added, "which integrates information, prevention, treatment and care, as well as wider partnerships to help us provide better care to those suffering from AIDS and to AIDS orphans, while protecting their dignity as human beings."

Acknowleding AIDS as a "humanitarian disaster", leaders from the 51 African Red Cross/Red Crescent Red Societies and 18 European, Asian and American sister Societies participating in the conference focused on the number of victims and the multiple economic and social consequences of the pandemic. Today, some 24 million people are estimated to be HIV positive in Africa, with 10,000 people becoming infected every day.

Significant discussions also centred on the right to food, defined as "the right to life" by some participants, and on the fact that access to sufficient quantities of food and a balanced diet could not be disassociated from good health. More widespread nutritional assessments, expanded supplementary food programmes and information campaigns on environmental protection are included in future Red Cross/Red Crescent action plans.

A need for much stronger support from donors was identified by the African Societies as a key factor for success. In a show of solidarity, the donor Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies expressed their commitment to support all African Societies in implementing their new programmes, to build on African strengths and experience, and to dramatically increase resources allotted to implement health and food security programmes, especially those designed to fight the AIDS pandemic.

International Federation President Astrid Heiberg reiterated the organization's support for the priorities set by the African Societies themselves and announced the Federation would shortly launch an international appeal to finance these new initiatives.

At the core of these initiatives are the nearly two million African Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers who will implement the programmes through their unique access to the heart of communities where they work. "Our volunteers can enable people to change their behaviour, through informing, educating and communicating. Our volunteers can provide basic care and compassion. And it is because of this compassion that we obtain respect, are listened to and can enable people to change", Dr Heiberg pointed out. Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers are currently active in first aid activities, HIV/AIDS peer education, mobilization of the population for vaccination campaign and training family members to care for people living with AIDS.

The fifth PanAfrican Conference was organized by the Burkina Faso Red Cross, with support from the International Federation. The next one is scheduled to take place in four years, in Algeria.

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

Christopher Black
Marie-Françoise Borel
Caroline Hurford
Jemini Pandya Tel : (226) 42 28 85/6/7 (Room 34)
Sat phone : (874) 761 845 985s here

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.