During a private visit to Geneva, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and His Royal Highness Prince Claus on 3 September 1985 received the Vice-President of the International Committee, Mr Maurice Aubert, in the absence of the ICRC President. The audience took place at the residence of Ambassador Robert J. van Schaik, Permanent Representative of the Netherlands in Geneva; the conversation was concerned mainly with the activities of the ICRC.

The President of the ICRC, Mr. Alexandre Hay, accompanied by Mr. Jean Hoefliger, ICRC delegate general for the Middle East, visited Lebanon from 12 to 16 February. He was received in Beirut by the President of the Republic, Mr. Amin Gemayel, Mr. Rashid Karami, President of the Council of Ministers and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Dr. Selim Hoss, Minister for Labour and Education. Discussions on matters of mutual interest made it possible to strengthen even more the excellent relationship that exists between the ICRC and the Lebanese Government.

The Prime Minister of India, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, visited the ICRC on 17 June. He was accompanied by Mrs. Gandhi and various officials: Mr. Romesh Bandhari, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. Arun Singh, Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. C. R. Gharekhan, Additional Secretary, Prime Minister's Office, Mr. Thomas Abraham, ambassador to Bern, and Mr. M. Dubey, ambassador and permanent representative for India to Geneva.

At its meeting on 9 May 1985, the Assembly of the International Committee of the Red Cross elected Mr. André Ghelfi as a member of the Committee.

On 6 December the ICRC was grieved to lose one of its longestserving members, Miss Lucie Odier, in her 99th year.

Born in Geneva, Miss Odier obtained her nursing diploma in 1914; she thereafter unceasingly did credit to her profession, particularly by devoting herself to the care of military internees and civilian refugees in Switzerland during the First World War (1914–1918) and later to victims of the pandemic Spanish flu. In 1920 she was assigned to direct the Geneva Red Cross social hygiene dispensary and its visiting nurses service. Her exceptional work and modesty were recognized by all.

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Red Cross Society of São Tomé and Principe by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 3 October 1985, brings to 137 the number of National Societies members of the International Red Cross.

Following an invitation by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar, the President of the ICRC, Mr. Alexandra Hay, represented the ICRC at the Conference on the Emergency Situation in Africa, which was held on 11 and 12 March, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

The Conference was aimed at drawing the attention of the international community to the distress prevailing in those African countries which are struck by drought and starvation, and at ensuring co-ordination of the efforts made by governments and organizations to face this emergency situation.

The Republic of Senegal deposited with the Swiss Government, on 7 May 1985, the instruments of ratification, without reservation, of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II), adopted in Geneva on 8 June 1977.

The ICRC has learnt with deep regret of the death on 29 October 1985 of Miss Monique Katz, the former Assistant Director of the Central Tracing Agency and a faithful staff member for nearly forty years.

The President of the ICRC, Mr. Alexandre Hay, accompanied by Mrs. Hay and Mr. F.-P. Küng, ICRC Delegate General for Europe and North America, spent 7 and 8 June in Liechtenstein. On 8 June, they attended the Annual General Meeting of the Liechtenstein Red Cross, which marked that Society's fortieth anniversary. It was a rather special and not unemotional occasion, as Princess Gina, the President of the National Society, officially resigned her office in favour of Princess Maria-Aglaë.

In May and June Mr. Jean-Marc Bornet, ICCR delegate-general for Africa, conducted a series of missions taking him first to Mozambique and then to Zimbabwe, the Republic of South Africa and Angola.

It was with great sorrow that the ICRC heard of the demise on 11 December 1984, at age 81, of Mr. Francois de Reynold, former ICRC Head of Protocol.

Mr. de Reynold, a law graduate of Fribourg University, joined the Italian Service of the Central Agency for Prisoners of War on 1 April 1943. In January 1945, he was transferred to the ICRC Liaison Service which later became the Liaison and Protocol Service.

In early August, Mr. Jean-Marc Bornet, ICRC delegate-general for Africa, went to Khartoum where he met, inter alia, General Abdel Rahman Sewar el-Dahab, Head of State, and the Deputy Prime Minister. Various humanitarian issues (refugees in Sudan, situation in the southern part of the country) were broached during the discussions.

The ICRC having been invited as an observer to the ministerial conference of the non-aligned countries, held in Luanda from 2 to 7 September, Mr. Jean-Pierre Hocké, Director for Operational Activities at the ICRC, and Mr. Jean-Marc Bornet, delegate-general for Africa, were received by Mr. José Eduardo Dos Santos, President of the People's Republic of Angola. This meeting provided an opportunity for reviewing the assistance activities undertaken by the ICRC in aid of populations displaced by the fighting in several regions of the country.

The ICRC has learned, with deep sorrow, of the sudden death of Mr Michel Zufferey, delegate to Sudan, in a road accident on 5 January 1985.

Michel Zufferey, 40 years old, unmarried, joined the ICRC in 1972. He undertook his first mission in Bangladesh, and then was posted successively to Angola, Lebanon, Israel, Pakistan and Chad. He started his mission in Sudan on 22 January 1983.

Michel Zufferey, having spent over twelve years in the service of the ICRC, made many lasting friendships, and his death is profoundly regretted by the whole organisation. The ICRC extended to his parents and friends its deepest sympathy and condolences.

Mr. Jean-Pierre Hocké, ICRC Director for Operational Activities, went on mission to Ethiopia from 24–30 April. While in Addis Ababa, he was received by Lieutenant Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam, Head of State and Chairman of the Provisional Military Administration Council. Their talks centred mainly on ICRC assistance to Ethiopia.

We have the honour to inform you of the official recognition of the Red Cross Society of Cape Verde by the International Committee of the Red Cross. This recognition, which took effect on 14 March 1985, brings to 136 the number of National Society members of the International Red Cross.

The Rwandese Republic deposited with the Swiss Government, on 19 November 1984, an instrument of accession to the Additional Protocols I and II of 8 June 1977.

Pursuant to their provisions, the Protocols will enter into force for the Rwandese Republic on 17 May 1985, six months after the deposit of the instrument of accession.

The Rwandese Republic is the 48th State to become party to Protocol I and the 41st to Protocol II.