President of QRCS, H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Thamer Al Thani (centre), and President of ICRC, Peter Maurer (fourth left), with other officials during the meeting yesterday.
Doha: President of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Thamer Al Thani met yesterday President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer to discuss humanitarian issues of mutual interest.
The meeting was attended by Secretary-General of QRCS, Ali bin Hassan Al-Hammadi; CEO of QRCS, Eng Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Malki; Head of International Relations and International Humanitarian Law, Dr. Fawzi Oussedik; and Director of the Office of QRCS President, Adel Al Baker.
ICRC’s delegation comprised Head of Regional Delegation for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Omar Odeh; Advisor of the President, Elyse Mosquini; and Head of Mission – Qatar, Cherine Pollini.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Thamer Al Thani welcomed Maurer and the delegation, who congratulated him for being elected as President of QRCS. They wished to intensify cooperation with QRCS and commended its contributions to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) control efforts both locally and internationally.
Maurer particularly emphasized the growing role of volunteers: “This experience is a perfect example for other National Societies to consider, in order to see how QRCS managed the crisis so competently.”
The ICRC President promised to align all available resources to launch joint humanitarian operations in conflict zones.
Both QRCS and ICRC have presence in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, and many other countries.
The QRCS President valued the visit and thanked Maurer for his congratulations, as well as his praise of the volunteers, which coincided with the International Volunteer Day.
“We are open to any initiatives that serve our universally embraced humanitarian goals,” said Sheikh Abdullah.
The participants in the meeting agreed on expanding their partnership, which was described as “fruitful, solid, and growing over the years in Ethiopia, Sudan, and other regions, seeking effective solutions for such humanitarian crises.”
Also, they agreed to further consolidate the channels of mutual communication and to have these issues discussed by their respective experts, towards a road map to bilateral humanitarian collaboration in the future.
