Syria, IFRC sign a memo to facilitate humanitarian activities

DAMASCUS, (ST)_ Syria and The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) signed on Thursday a Memorandum Of Understanding  at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Damascus.

The memo aims at facilitating and encouraging all forms of humanitarian activities in which the Syrian state and the national and international humanitarian societies are involved to avoid and ease the suffering of people as well as to preserve and enhance peace all over the world.

During a meeting held between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Dr. Faisal al-Miqdad and the Regional Director of IFRC in Middle East and North Africa Dr Hossam Elsharkawi  after signing the memo, al-Miqdad said that Syria highly appreciates the role of the IFRC.

“There is an urgent need to develop the relations between the Syrian state and the IFRC in all fields,” the Syrian official said, asserting that Damascus is keen on developing the cooperation with the IFRC in accordance with the signed memo in the coming months and years.

“The situations in Syria are positively developing with regard to fighting terrorism and the unilateral and coercive measures being imposed by the US and western allies,” al-Miqdad said, referring to the key role of the Syrian Red Crescent (SRC) in providing the Syrian people with humanitarian aid.

On his part, Dr. Elsharkawi  thanked the Syrian state, the Syrian people and the SRC for their efforts, stressing that the signed memo will accelerate and facilitate the support the process of humanitarian aid.

He pointed out that the economic sanctions being imposed on Syria hinders the work of the IFRC.

Basma Qaddour