East Asia: Appeal No. MAA54001 Report 2006-2007

This report covers the period of 1 January to 31 December 2006 of a two-year planning and appeal process.

In a world of global challenges, continued poverty, inequity, and increasing vulnerability to disasters and disease, the International Federation with its global network, works to accomplish its Global Agenda, partnering with local community and civil society to prevent and alleviate human suffering from disasters, diseases and public health emergencies.

In brief

Programme Summary:

The East Asia regional delegation has supported country delegations and national societies in the management of their programmes, coordination and cooperation amongst partners, in the incorporation of humanitarian values, and capacity building at all levels.

Through funding from the annual appeal, the national societies of the East Asia region have been able to strengthen their current programmes in disaster management and health and care, and have thereby been successful in improving the quality of life for millions of people in some of the most vulnerable communities in these countries. Federation regional delegates have provided capacity building opportunities through training, supported programme management and monitoring, and facilitated valuable networking on the national and international levels.

Needs: Total 2006-2007 budget CHF 28.7 million (USD 23.5 million or EUR 17.4 million), out of which 56.6 percent is covered.

No. of people we help: It can be estimated that Red Cross programmes supported by the Federation in East Asia reached more than ten million beneficiaries in Mongolia, DPRK and China. This number may be a conservative estimate considering the challenges of collecting such data. Women and children have been a primary beneficiary in many of these programmes, especially in health and care, water and sanitation, and disaster preparedness.

Our Partners: The East Asia regional delegation (EARD) supports all five East Asian national societies (China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea) as well the Federation's two country delegations in DPRK and Mongolia, and serves as the country delegation for the Red Cross Society of China. It assists in the coordination of bilateral and multilateral partnerships in these countries for more than ten partner national societies. Furthermore, the EARD partners with government and international agencies, such as International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), UN agencies, and other NGOs working in the countries where projects are implemented.

Current context

East Asia politics featured prominently in international headlines during 2006, particularly in relation to the nuclear capacity of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the country's nuclear test conducted in October. The condemnation of the testing by the international community resulted in the imposition of UN sanctions on the already economically struggling country. Negotiations being carried out with the country through"six-party" talks were stalled for most of the year though good progress appears finally to have been made in early 2007. Elsewhere, improvements have been seen in China-Japan relations, particularly following the October 2006 visit of Japan's then newly elected prime minister to China. East Asia's political influence continues to emerge as demonstrated by the recent appointments of South Korea's foreign minister Ban Ki-moon as the UN secretary- general, and Hong Kong's Margaret Chan, who was instrumental in addressing pandemics such as SARS and avian influenza in China, as head of the World Health Organization (WHO).

East Asia's population is subject to serious threats posed by potential pandemics and frequently occurring natural disasters. The national societies in China, DPRK, Japan, Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea (ROK), although servicing widely differing populations, are adjusting their programming to the changing environment in which they operate. Global warming, population movements and new vulnerabilities are having a collective impact on the nature and extent of disasters in the region. At the same time, each national society is facing challenges to its traditional role and working methods and is looking at ways how to best address the humanitarian needs generated by these changing socioeconomic trends and how to mobilize/ maintain/manage volunteers to respond more effectively.

The year 2006 was a particularly turbulent year with East Asian countries experiencing record breaking drought and floods. Red Cross national societies responded to severe storms and floods which affected the region over the period May through October. In particular, the Red Cross Societies of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea responded to some of the heaviest floods to affect the respective countries in years. The close of the year was a reminder of the threat posed by infectious diseases and potential epidemics with renewed cases of avian influenza in humans and poultry in the region, and increasing numbers of cases of HIV/AIDS reported in China and Mongolia.

For further information please contact:

Federation Regional Delegation in China: Mr. Alistair Henley (head of East Asia regional delegation); alistair.henley@ifrc.org; phone: +86.10.65327162, fax: +86.10.65327166.

Federation Secretariat in Geneva: Ms. Ewa Eriksson (regional officer, Asia Pacific department); email:ewa.eriksson@ifrc.org; phone: +41227304252; fax: +41.22.7330395

To support or find out more about the Federation's programmes or operations, click on www.ifrc.org