(Thursday 17 October 2019 Issue)
Gambia
Red Cross Society and Qatar Red Crescent, Sunday signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to strengthen operation in institutional capacity of The
Gambia Red Cross Society.
The
MoU targets to enable The Gambia Red Cross Society to support communities on
health, sanitation, livelihood, resilience, disaster prevention and response.
The
MoU came at the backdrop of the good bilateral relations between the two countries
following a high powered Qatar delegation visit to the Gambia to assess the
country’s development needs following President Adama Barrow’s visit to Qatar.
Speaking
at the occasion held at The Gambia Red Cross Society Head Quarters, Alasan
Senghore, Secretary General Gambia Red Cross Society described the signing as
important as The Gambia is reemerging with a new dispensation and the Gambia
Red Cross Society is also reemerging as a national society that wants to retake
it position in terms of delivering both humanitarian and development services
to Gambians.
SG
Senghore explained that when the delegation visited them they had discussions
and shared their strategies, plans, needs and priorities which resulted to the
Qatar Head of International and Qatar Red Crescent General coming to The Gambia
to formalize the relations and start implementing projects.
He
pointed out that they have been trying to get partners to help them continue
delivering humanitarian services to Gambians, adding that Qatar Red Crescent is
a partner that has been supporting them but the partnership was not systematic
or organised.
According
to him the MoU will strengthen their capacity as well as reposition The Gambia
Red Cross Society as one of Government key partners in delivering both
development and humanitarian services to Gambians.
Ali
Bin Hassan Al-Hammadi Secretary General Qatar Red Crescent said they are
impressed with Gambia Red Cross Society’s vision and are convinced the
partnership will grow from strength to strength.
