On December 3, Dr. Anna Yeghiazaryan, Secretary General of the Armenian Red Cross Society (ARCS) met with the delegations of Martin Schuepp, Regional Director of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for Europe and Central Asia and Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen, International Federation Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Regional Director of Europe Zone.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the humanitarian situation arising in the country due to the escalation of the Karabakh conflict and the coordination of a joint response.
"We have never had such a difficult, challenging year!. The role of the Armenian Red Cross Society is recognized in the country. Thanks to our human resources and transparent accountability system, we are a reliable partner for the Government and for our other partners”, Dr Anna Yeghiazaryan says. “The National Society has felt your support these days, the huge support of our partners, thanks to which our humanitarian response has become possible. We will have an IFRC delegation in Armenia very soon, and it will make our cooperation more efficient, for the benefit of our beneficiaries”.
Mr. Martin Schuepp, The ICRC Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, said that he welcomed the cessation of active hostilities and that the Red Cross should now focus on full implementation of its humanitarian mission.
“At various meetings I felt that the RA Government trusts the National Society, thanks for the great work done during this period. We now need to think about how to coordinate our activities, develop coordination mechanisms to make our work as part of the Movement more effective.
Mrs. Birgitte Bischoff Ebbesen, also stressed the importance for coordinated work:
“As a member of the Red Cross family, today we have a team in the country that cooperates with the ARCS. We see that the Armenian Red Cross Society has done large scale work this year, and now, in parallel with the aftermath of the war, Covid-19 is not gone, the danger of the epidemic still exists. We are here to reaffirm our support in response to the humanitarian needs of the vulnerable groups.
The ARCS’ partners in the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and several International and local organizations provided more than USD 3,100,000 to the Armenian Red Cross to respond to the most urgent and pressing needs of people.
