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March 5th, 2016 ― Doha: An official delegation from Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has visited Kenya to discuss further opportunities of cooperation, capacity building, and promotion of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in the African continent.
Comprising Dr. Aisha Yousef Al-Mannai, QRCS Vice-President, and Dr. Fawzi Oussedik, Head of QRCS International Relations, the delegation was received by Dr. Abbas Gullet, Secretary-General of Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS).
The delegation had an extensive agenda for its stay in the country. They visited Al-Mustaqbal University in Garissa, chaired by Dr. Abbas Gullet, to explore cooperation outlook between QRCS and KRCS, particularly in promotion of IHL. It was agreed to hold a moot court competition for law students of the university, like that held by QRCS in Uganda. The moot court will be chaired by Dr. Oussedik and will be managed by a jury of legal professors and experts.
Dr. Al-Mannai delivered a lecture for the College of Islamic Studies students about the importance of volunteerism and humanitarianism, stressing the need to enforce IHL. The lecture received large attendance, who made valuable comments.
A seminar was held with the university's faculty about their interest in voluntary work and related fields, highlighting some challenges that may hinder progress in this regard.
Also, the delegation visited KRCS First Aid Department to review its services for the society at large, and the Somali refugees in particular. The took a tour of the King Faisal Hospital, the country's central hospital funded by Saudi Arabia, where them talked to some of the in-patients.
Later, the visitors moved to Lamu County, about 600 kilometers away from Nairobi, to visit KRCS branch there and have an idea about its activities, especially in relation to drug control. They made informal conversations with some newly recovered addicts to know what services they received that helped them overcome addiction and fill their free time with useful activities.
Lastly, the Qatari delegation visited the Kenya-Somalia frontiers to watch the difficulties facing humanitarian efforts there, to be considered when developing future relief and development programs for the Somali refugees in Kenya.
This visit was successful in bolstering relations and deepening the already established cooperation between QRCS and KRCS, under the umbrella of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. It would give a significant push to QRCS's relief and humanitarian diplomacy endeavors in the crisis-plagued East Africa.
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About Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS)
Established in 1978, Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) is a humanitarian charitable organization that aims to assist and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination.
QRCS is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which consists of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) in Geneva, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and 190 National Societies. QRCS is also a member of several Gulf, Arab, and Islamic assemblies, such as: the Islamic Committee of International Crescent and the Secretariat-General of the Arab Organization of Red Crescent and Red Cross. In this legally recognized capacity, QRCS has access to disaster and conflict zones, thus serving as an auxiliary to the State of Qatar in its humanitarian efforts, a role that distinguishes it from other local charitable or philanthropic organizations.
QRCS operates both locally and internationally and has ongoing international relief and development projects in a number of countries throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Europe. QRCS's humanitarian actions include providing support in disaster preparedness, disaster response, risk reduction, and disaster recovery. To mitigate the impact of disasters and improve the livelihoods of affected populations, QRCS provides medical services, healthcare, and social development to local communities. It is also active at the humanitarian advocacy front. With the help of a vast network of trained, committed staff and volunteers, QRCS aspires to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. As a reflection of its long-standing accomplishments and credibility, QRCS's Chairman, Dr. Mohammed Al-Maadheed, is former Vice-President of the IFRC. Qatar Red Crescent works under the umbrella of the seven international humanitarian principles: Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality. For more information about Qatar Red Crescent, please contact Mr. Fareed Adnan, Head of Media Affairs, Communication Department, Tel.: +974 5583 7338, email: fareed@qrcs.org.qa. Or you can visit our website: www.qrcs.org.qa, or like and follow our social media pages: Facebook: www.facebook.com/QatarRedCrescentTwitter/ Instgram: @QRCS LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/qatar-red-crescent