The Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) took part in the 16th Meeting of the Committee of Presidents of Red Crescent Societies and Authorities in the Co-operation Council for Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), which tackled a number of key issues and topics.
Held remotely, the meeting focused on discussing ways to enhance joint GCC humanitarian action, review the current humanitarian issues, and unify positions and visions at international conferences and at the coming Movement-level elections.
QRCS was represented by president Sheikh Abdullah bin Thamer al-Thani, secretary-general Ali bin Hassan al-Hammadi, International Relations head Dr Fawzi Oussedik, Office of the President director Adel al-Baker, and International Humanitarian Law co-ordinator Zahra Adnan Lafi.
Sheikh Abdullah greeted the participants and expressed condolences over the death of Bahrain’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalifah bin Salman al-Khalifah. 
After the approval of the agenda, the meeting discussed a set of topics to further promote GCC humanitarian action in the face of current challenges, especially the Covid-19 pandemic.
The participants approved the following: Secretariat-General’s report on Covid-19 control efforts in GCC countries, Committee’s Action Plan 2021-2025, Voluntary Action Award regulations, holding of the 2nd Annual GCC Forum in Bahrain (April 2021), the launch of GCC Red Crescent Day 2021 under the theme of “Giving Together” and a GCC workshop to train media professionals in humanitarian affairs to be held in Kuwait (February 2021).
There was a follow-up on the joint committee implementing the memorandum of understanding signed by the GCC secretariat-general and the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organisation.