Top officials of the Qatar Red Crescent (QRCS) have attended a two-day regional workshop that focused on the auxiliary role of National Societies.
Dubbed as the “Auxiliary Role of National Societies in the Humanitarian Field: Opportunities and Challenges,” the workshop was co-organised by Qatar’s Regulatory Authority for Charitable Activities (RACA), International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
“One of the major challenges facing humanitarian action is the misunderstanding of the auxiliary role of National Societies, which are widely seen as government arms with undeclared political agendas. This wrong perception has put many relief workers at risk,” QRCS secretary-general Ali Hassan al-Hammadi said.
National Societies are humanitarian organisations governed by fundamental principles to ensure autonomy, noted al-Hammadi, stressing that “they are not engaged in any political conflict of interest, and their sole focus is on humanity.”
“Our fundamental principles are what guide our work. We serve no political schemes or goals that are detrimental to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s code of conduct,” he added.
QRCS vice-president Dr Aisha Youssef al-Mannai, executive director Youssef Ahmed al-Hammadi, and head of International Relations Dr Fawzi Oussedik also attended the event.
Other attendees included representatives from RACA, IFRC, ICRC, the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organisation, Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health, and the King Salman Centre for Humanitarian Aid and Relief.
Delegations of the National Societies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman were also present.
Senior QRCS officials led by secretary-general Ali Hassan al-Hammadi and executive director Youssef Ahmed al-Hammadi at the workshop.
