The Republic of Korea National Red Cross

Ebola: IFRC scales up response in eastern DRC as regional risks grow

Kinshasa/Nairobi/Geneva, 21 May 2026 — The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is scaling up Ebola response efforts in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and neighbouring countries, and has launched a CHF 29 million regional emergency appeal.The Democratic Republic of the Congo Red Cross Society, supported by the IFRC, has deployed 200 volunteers in Bunia and Rwampara health zones to support community engagement and frontline public health activities.Red Cross volunteers are already going door-to-door in affected communities, helping families understand how Ebola spreads, countering misinformation, and encouraging early care-seeking when symptoms appear. A Red Cross radio programme is reinforcing these messages at a broader scale.Families are also being advised not to touch or wash the bodies of suspected Ebola victims, as this remains one of the most common routes of transmission during outbreaks. On the first day of activities, Red Cross volunteers reached 645 families.Ariel Kestens, IFRC Head of Delegation in Kinshasa, said: “The Bundibugyo strain is particularly concerning, as there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of treatments and vaccines developed for the Zaire strain. The outbreak is spreading rapidly in areas where health systems are already fragile and where population movement across borders is frequent. The priority now is to act quickly and work closely with communities, as the coming days are critical. We call on the international community to demonstrate solidarity and support the Red Cross Red Crescent’s lifesaving response.”Gregoire Mateso, National President of the DRC RC Secretary General in Kinshasa, said: “People are afraid, but when Red Cross volunteers provide clear information and offer practical support, communities are more likely to seek treatment promptly and follow preventive measures. This clearly demonstrates that our volunteers have earned the trust of the communities they serve, and this trust is essential to stopping the spread of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease.”The outbreak is spreading through areas already affected by insecurity, weak healthcare systems and constant population movement, complicating efforts to contain the virus.Fears of wider regional spread are also growing. Uganda has already confirmed Bundibugyo Ebola cases linked to the ongoing outbreak, while neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan, are stepping up readiness efforts in high-risk border areas.Robert Kwesiga, Secretary General, Uganda Red Cross Society in Kampala, said: “We have placed our teams and volunteers on high alert and are retraining and preparing them for rapid deployment to support the national Ebola response. As Uganda Red Cross, our role is not only to support emergency health interventions, but also to stand with communities, strengthen public awareness, build trust, and help prevent further spread of the disease. We are working closely with the Ministry of Health and partners to ensure communities in high-risk areas receive timely support, accurate information, and lifesaving humanitarian assistance.”Previous Ebola outbreaks have shown that the chain of transmission can be broken faster when communities trust the response, seek care early and have access to reliable information and support.Urgent funding is needed to expand surveillance, deploy additional burial teams, deliver protective equipment and scale up frontline response efforts in affected communities and high-risk border areas.For more information or to request an interview, please contact: [email protected] Kinshasa: Jean-Michel Ntalemwa, +243 808 804 037In Nairobi: Susan Mbalu, +254 733 827 654  In Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa +41 79 708 4367Paolo Cravero +41 79 894 8396

IFRC mourns the passing of former President Tadateru Konoe

Geneva, 27 May 2026:The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is deeply saddened by the passing of Mr. Tadateru Konoe, former President of the IFRC and former President of the Japanese Red Cross Society, who died on 23 May 2026 at the age of 87.With the passing of Mr. Konoe, we have lost one of the most devoted and compassionate leaders — a man whose life was defined by humanity, humility, and service to others.For more than five decades, Mr. Konoe dedicated his entire life to the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. Joining the Japanese Red Cross Society at the age of 25, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to alleviating suffering and supporting people affected by disasters, crises, and conflicts around the world. Through decades of service in both the Japanese Red Cross Society and the IFRC, often in the field and close to communities, he developed a profound belief in the power of humanity, solidarity, and compassion.As President of the Japanese Red Cross Society from 2005, Mr. Konoe led the Japanese Red Cross to successfully deliver urgent and effective assistance in several emergencies, including the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear plant accident in Fukushima in 2011.Elected President of the IFRC in 2009 and again in 2013, Mr. Konoe worked tirelessly to strengthen cooperation across the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, reinforce the resilience and capacity of National Societies, and uphold integrity and accountability in humanitarian action – at all times embodying the “Spirit of Togetherness”. His longstanding advocacy for the elimination of nuclear weapons reflected his deep conviction that humanity must never again endure such suffering.Those who knew and worked alongside Mr. Konoe will remember not only his remarkable leadership but also his kindness, gentleness, and quiet presence.In recognition of his extraordinary service and unwavering commitment to humanity, Mr. Konoe was awarded the Henry Dunant Medal, the highest distinction of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.The IFRC joins the Japanese Red Cross Society, the wider Red Cross Red Crescent family, and countless friends and colleagues around the world in mourning his loss.We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones, and all those whose lives were touched by his extraordinary humanity.Mr. Konoe’s legacy will endure in the millions of lives reached through the humanitarian work he championed, and in the values of humanity and compassion to which he devoted his life.For more information, please contact:[email protected] Geneva: Tommaso Della Longa +41 79 708 4367

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ebola outbreak 2025

On 4 September 2025, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) declared a new outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in Kasai Province. The outbreak has spread to Bulape, Mweka, Mushenge, and Kakenge health zones. Most of those impacted are 15 years and older. With 680,000 people at immediate risk and more than 2 million at extended risk, the DRC Red Cross is on the ground delivering urgent assistance. With your donation, volunteers will carry out lifesaving activities including health and care, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), safe and dignified burials (SDB), and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Your support can make a difference. Donate now to help the DRC Red Cross protect lives and bring relief to communities in crisis.

Africa: Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak 2026

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is rapidly escalating, with cases and deaths continuing to rise as the virus spreads across multiple provinces and into neighboring Uganda. Families and communities urgently need access to reliable health information, early detection, safe burials, and lifesaving public health support to prevent further transmission and protect overwhelmed health systems. Donate today to help the DRC and Uganda Red Cross Societies to provide life-saving assistance.Read more: IFRC scales up response in eastern DRC as regional risks grow

Op-Ed: The weight of an emblem that no longer shields

The weight of an emblem that no longer shieldsByXavier Castellanos Mosquera, Under Secretary General for National Society Development and Coordination with The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)The Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems are meant to signal neutrality, humanity, and protection. When they are not respected, the consequences are profound, not just for those who wear them, but for all of those in need.I have just returned from successive missions to Iran Lebanon, Syria, Jordan. What has stayed with me most is not only the scale of needs, it is the conditions and the psychological strain under which our volunteers are working.Weeks of intense hostilities in Iran and Lebanon have left health facilities, businesses and schools across both countries damaged or destroyed. Entire communities are struggling to access basic services, and the long-term consequences are only beginning to unfold. Millions are displaced.Amid this devastation, the reach and capability of our National Societies is extraordinary. In Iran, teams from the Iranian Red Crescent Society spoke of how their experience responding to floods and earthquakes has shaped their ability to carry out search and rescue in bombed neighbourhoods, pulling survivors from rubbles, often within minutes of an attack.I met a rescue team that had just lost a colleague in a so-called “double-tap” strike, where a second attack hits the same site as rescuers arrive. Five others were injured. They spoke calmly, professionally. But the weight of what they had experienced was unmistakable.In Lebanon, this is felt just as sharply.In Beirut, Tyre and Saida, I met volunteers from the Lebanese Red Cross working around the clock in a deepening humanitarian crisis. I was struck watching teams prepare to respond to strikes, putting on heavy flak jackets and helmets before getting into ambulances.You cannot help but ask: what must it be like to perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) under that weight? To try to save a life while fearing for your own is something no one should have to bear.I saw how volunteers embrace each other before they leave their compound. They do so out of a genuine affection for each other, but also in the knowledge they may never return. Some have even endured strikes inside their own compounds. During our short visit to Tyre, there were three strikes in the surrounding area. We watched colleagues head out towards the danger, knowing the risks, and going anyway.This is the impossible weight our volunteers now carry. Some of them are displaced living in shelters and supporting in health care, mental health, protection and community engagement.Sadly, this is not an isolated reality. It reflects a broader and deeply alarming trend. In the first five months of 2026, 18 volunteers and staff from National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have already lost their lives, nine in violent attacks. This includes six of our colleagues from Iran and Lebanon that have been killed while simply trying to protect and save others.Our emblems must mean something again. Because without them, when those who save lives are no longer safe, the consequences will be felt by us all.

Saint Kitts and Nevis Red Cross Society

DREF Guidelines 2026

The DREF Guidelines 2026complement the DREF procedures adopted in June 2025 by turning the regulatory framework into practical operational guidance. They aim to support National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in applying the DREF consistently, effectively and with confidence across different contexts, including both anticipatory action and emergency response. The Guidelines also reflect the experience, feedback and leadership of National Societies worldwide, whose operational practice and innovation have helped shape the continued evolution of the mechanism. Their contributions have strengthened the DREF’s role in enabling timely, principled and locally led support for people affected by, or at risk of disasters and crises.

Silent humanitarian crises deepen across Lebanon and Iran

Beirut/Tehran/Geneva,26May2026 —Three months since the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon and Iran, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is warning that multiple silent humanitarian crises are deepening across the region — with long-term consequences for health systems, food security, displacement, and community resilience.While international attention has shifted elsewhere, millions of people continue to face displacement, damaged healthcare systems, disrupted livelihoods, andgrowingchallengesto accessing essential services.Ongoing geopolitical tensions and restrictions affecting regional transportation routes, including through the Strait of Hormuz, continue to hinder humanitarian supply chains and increase the cost of delivering aid. “Behind the headlines, multiple silent crises are deepening with consequences that will last for years,”saidCristhian Cardoza, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). “Families are being pushed beyond breaking point — struggling to afford food, medicine, fuel and shelter, while damaged health systems, displacement, and economic pressure continue to drive humanitarian needs higher every day.”Health systems under severe strain in Iran In Iran, the humanitarian consequences of the escalation continue long after the ceasefire. The conflict has seriously disrupted healthcare delivery nationwide, including 56 Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS)centresnationwide. For patients living with chronic illnesses, disruptions to healthcare and medical supply chains are becoming life-threatening.Restrictions affecting transport routescontinue to complicate access to critical medicines and equipment.Despite the pressures, IRCS teams have continued large-scale humanitarian operations across the country, including search and rescue, emergency medical care, and psychosocial support services.Food insecurity deepens across LebanonAnother alarming trend is rapidly emerging:nearly onein four people in Lebanon — around 1.24 million people — are now expected to face acute food insecurity between April and August 2026, according toanalysis from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The deterioration is being driven by continued hostilities,prolongeddisplacement, economic collapse, and soaring fuel prices. Fuel prices in Lebanon have risen sharply since the escalation, withdiesel increasing by more than65 per cent, according tothe World FoodProgramme.At the same time,the Minister of Agriculture has warnedthatapproximately 22 per cent ofagricultural land in affected areas has been damaged, further undermining food production and livelihoods. Over1 million peoplein thecountryare currently displaced, with manypeople,especiallyfromthesouth,unable to return home due to ongoing hostilities and destroyedinfrastructure,nowliving in tents following the intense recent hostilities. Protectionconcerns and funding gapthreaten humanitarian responseThe IFRC also reiterated urgent concerns over attacks affecting healthcare workers, ambulances, and humanitarian responders.In Iran and Lebanon combined,sixRed Cross and Red Crescent volunteers have been killed while carrying out humanitarian worksince the recent escalation. “Our teams on the ground are clear - what they need above all else is protection,”saidMrCardoza.“These brave staff and volunteers should not have tofear for their lives when they get an emergency call and travel in theirambulances.“Hospitals, ambulances, medical personnel and humanitarian workers mustbe respected and protected.”The IFRC warned that severe funding shortfalls are threatening the continuity of humanitarian operations across the region.“Behind these numbers are real consequences,”continuedMrCardoza.“Operations may need to be scaled back, supplies delayed or cut, and there will be people we cannot reach.”The IFRC’s Emergency Appeal for Iran is currently only four per cent funded, while the Lebanon appealremainsunder 14 per cent funded.The IFRC called on donors and the international community to provide sustained and flexible funding to support emergency operations, recovery efforts, and longer-term humanitarian needs across the region.Spokespeople are available in Beirut,Tehranand Geneva.For more information or to set up an interview contact: [email protected] Geneva:Tommaso DellaLonga,+41 79 708 4367Matthew Carter, +44 7557 802463In Beirut:Mey El Sayegh, +961 03 229 352

Cameroon: Food Insecurity 2026

Cameroon is facing a deepening food crisis, with 3.3 million people unable to afford enough food as conflict, climate shocks and rising prices push families toward emergency levels of hunger. Food stocks are depleted, leaving children and pregnant women at growing risk of malnutrition. The Cameroon Red Cross Society is scaling up emergency food, cash, nutrition and livelihood support to reach 330,000 of the most vulnerable people. But urgent funding is needed to expand this response. Your donation can make a difference – donate now to help the Cameroon Red Cross provide life-saving assistance.

Iran: Complex Emergency 2026

Since late February 2026, devastating strikes across Iran have killed hundreds, injured thousands, and disrupted essential services for up to 60 million people. The Iranian Red Crescent Society has mobilized thousands of responders to deliver search and rescue, medical aid, and emergency relief across the country — but the scale of need is far beyond what they can meet alone. Donate today to help the Iranian Red Crescent reach 10 million people with life-saving assistance.

South Sudan: Floods

Since May 2024, South Sudan has experienced significant flooding, caused by heavy rainfall and the bursting of the Nile River banks. The floods have affected more than 700,000 people, caused extensive damage to homes and devastated livestock and crops.Through this emergency appeal, the IFRC and its membership aim to address the urgent needs of 300,000 people through health, WASH, shelter and livelihoods interventions.

Ecuadorian Red Cross

Jamaica Red Cross

Venezuelan Red Cross