The IFRC and the Government of Turkmenistan have signed an agreement on the legal status of the IFRC in the country, which will strengthen cooperation and strengthen assistance to the Turkmenistan Red Crescent Society (RCST) in fulfilling its mandate. “The signing of this agreement will make a big difference in the International Federation`s ability to help not only victims of natural disasters in Mozambique, but also its support for the Mozambican Red Cross, which is considered a leading relief organization in this country in times of disaster,” said Jim Robertson, head of the Mozambican delegation. who represented the alliance at the ceremony in Maputo on May 10. Fernanda Texeira, Secretary General of the Mozambican Red Cross, Jim Robertson, Head of the Mozambican Delegation and Dr Leonardo Santos Simao, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mozambique at the official signing of the Statute (p. 7685). “While the signing of such an agreement strengthens the legal basis for our presence in Sri Lanka, it will also make a difference in the Red Cross` response to the needs of vulnerable people in the country,” said Bob. “In addition to facilitating better cooperation between the Federation, the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society and the Sri Lankan government, legal status also means that there will be a more effective and effective working relationship between the partners in the agreement,” Bob said. The agreement was signed on 6 May by IFRC Secretary General Elhadj As Sy and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Raşit Meredow. Sri Lanka is the fourth country to have granted legal status to the IFRC in South Asia. The signing of the stature agreement marks the end of an extremely busy week for the Mozambican Red Cross and the Southern African Federation. On 7 May, the Mozambican Red Cross organized a partnership meeting in Southern Africa, during which the Secretaries-General of the ten Red Cross Societies in the region met to discuss, among other things, the Red Cross` response to food security and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Didier Cherpitel, Secretary General of the Federation, also participated in the meeting with Bekele Gelata, Head of the Africa Department of the Federation, Jerry Talbot, Head of the Regional Delegation for Southern Africa in Harare, Jim Robertson, Head of the Mozambican Delegation and delegate from the entire region. The legal status agreement was signed by Mr.

S. Palihakkara, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Sri Lanka, and Alasdair Gordon-Gibson, Representative of the IFRC, Sri Lanka. Bob McKerrow, head of the IFRC`s South Asia regional delegation based in New Delhi, was also present. With the membership of 181 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in as many countries, the IFRC enjoys legal status in 60 countries, with Sri Lanka being the 60th country to have signed the agreement. The IFRC delegation, led by Elhadj As Sy, IFRC Secretary General, participated in the Peace and Neutrality Conference on 6 May. On the same day, Mr. Sy signed the IFRC status agreement with the Government of Turkmenistan. Representatives of the Mozambican delegation of the Federation and the Mozambican Red Cross were in a festive state of mind on May 10, when they arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the official signing of the stature agreement.

The importance of obtaining legal status in the country has been widespread since the Federation quickly expanded its relatively small delegation in March 2000 to help the Mozambican Red Cross help victims of the devastating floods that devastated the country. . . .