Cooperation of national red cross societies in Africa

Seble Demeke, UNOG

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS), established in 1935 has since been on the front line of serving the nation during natural and man made disasters. The Society has been focusing among others, in the area of Disaster Preparedness by linking relief to development and by building the capacity of the population on how to cope with emergencies and disasters. This knowledge is now being extended to other national societies at the regional and sub-regional level through training programmes. This sort of cooperation forms a solid ground on which national Red Cross societies can build their capacity.

During 2003, training on Regional Disaster took place in the town of Dessie, in the northern part of Ethiopia. The Regional Disaster Response Team Training (RDRT) was organized having in mind the regional Disaster Preparedness and Response Strategy for East Africa, the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. The aim is to build up national societies capacities in order to predict and prevent disasters, to mitigate their impact as well as to respond to and cope with their consequences. The 2003 RDRT training brought together 44 national society officers covering all Red Cross Red Crescent specializations: logistics and telecommunication, health care, water and sanitation, relief and organizational development, finance and administration as well as information. Participants came from the national societies of Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, and of course Ethiopia forming a mosaic of cultural backgrounds and working experiences.

Behind every successful story, there is always an individual and the current President of ERCS, Ato. Shimeles Adugna, has been granted “the Spanish Red Cross grant Gold Medal of this year”.

The Ethiopian Red Cross Society has published the following article as recognition for his excellent work

This small space is attributed to acknowledge the great humanitarian contribution delivered by the President of ERCS, Ato Shimeles Adugna.

The column here is insufficient, if to record all details of his humanitarian contribution but intended only to highlight a few of his extraordinary achievements as president of ERCS since 2000.

In his commitment and unreserved effort to serve humanity, Ato Shimeles is able to bring recognition not only to himself but also to the Society he is leading as a volunteer.

Hence, Ato Shimeles is now serving as Vice-Chairman of the Standing Commission ad hoc Working Group on the implementation of the Seville Agreement in which representatives of ICRC and IFRC are members.

He is also Vice Chairman of the Disaster Relief Commission in IFRC.

He has received a letter of great appreciation from the Princess Austrid of Belgium, for his personal contribution in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

He is also chosen to receive the Spanish Red Cross grant Gold Medal of this year to be delivered on the occasion of the World Red Cross/Red Crescent Day. The awards committee of the Spanish Red Cross has decided that this year’s Gold Medal should be awarded to Ato Shimeles for his “excellent and invaluable work during many years towards the Red Cross and Red Crescent and the vulnerable people”.

The award ceremony took place on May 8th in the city of Leon (Spain) chaired by Her Majesty, Queen Sofia.

He undoubtedly deserves appreciation and merit for his long time humanitarian service in Ethiopia and his contribution in the ERCS and in the international Red Cross and Red Crescent family.

In this respect, great appreciation and acknowledgement has been extended to him from the President of IFRC.

Source: ERCS Bulletin.