Towards a humanitarian mobilization: ICRC President visits Africa

Extract

Mr. Cornelio Sommaruga, President of the ICRC, travelled Namibia, Kenya, Uganda and Zaire from 19 to 30 March 1990.

In his speeches, talks with heads of State and government representatives and meetings with National Society leaders, diplomats, academics and journalists, the ICRC President stressed the need for humanitarian mobilization within the international community. He laid special emphasis on the following points:

– The ICRC spends half its field budget for its work in Africa. This major commitment corresponds to the needs resulting from the many armed conflicts and internal disturbances on the continent. The ICRC intends to continue its activities to help the civilian population, who are the main victims of these conflicts, and will adapt its emergency assistance wherever possible to ensure that the beneficiaries rapidly become self-sufficient.