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ICRC appeals for more than one billion Swiss francs to meet humanitarian challenges in 2007 |
| ICRC.org |
Geneva (ICRC) – "Providing a professional humanitarian response to increasingly diverse and demanding situations of armed conflict and to other forms of armed violence around the world presents a daunting challenge," said Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), on launching the ICRC's annual appeal to donors in Geneva.
Asking for more than one billion Swiss francs to fund the ICRC's humanitarian work in some 80 countries in 2007, Mr Kellenberger said that the organization "remains determined to meet this challenge while resolutely fulfilling its role as a neutral, independent and impartial actor."
In 2007, Africa will once again account for over 40 per cent of the ICRC's operational commitments worldwide. Sudan will constitute the largest operation for the fourth consecutive year, at an expected cost of more than 73 million Swiss francs, followed by Israel and the Palestinian territories, Iraq and Afghanistan. These priorities reflect the ICRC's main focus, which is to protect and assist civilians directly affected by ongoing armed conflict. The ICRC will also remain committed to a broad range of activities in countries affected by various forms of armed violence – from simmering crises in Côte d'Ivoire and Timor-Leste to fragile transitions in Liberia and Nepal.
"Perhaps one of the main challenges faced by the ICRC is to effectively address the multiple needs of affected populations in extremely diverse environments," said Mr Kellenberger. "Ensuring that the ICRC is accepted by all relevant parties is crucial to achieving this."
One of the ICRC's top priorities in 2007 will be to establish a dialogue with all parties to conflicts and to remind them of their obligations under international humanitarian law, not least that of distinguishing between civilians and combatants. "Continued failure to observe that distinction in far too many conflicts has made this issue one of particular concern to the ICRC," said Mr Kellenberger.
Governments and the European Commission continue to be the ICRC's main source of funding, accounting for over 80 per cent of contributions in 2005. The largest donors last year were the governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Sweden, and the European Commission.
 | | Press conference held in Geneva for the launch of 2007 appeals (Photo: T. Gassmann) |
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