Vice president Touray who made these remarks during the opening of the General Assembly of the Sahel Plus Group hosted by The Gambia Red Cross Society at Cocoa Ocean hotel on Wednesday added that the success of GRCS transformation process is evident through the quality and timeliness of its service delivery on projects, programmes, operations and the increasing number of new and emerging partnerships.
According to Dr. Touray, The Gambia Government recognised the excellent work done by GRCS during the past years especially in supporting Government efforts in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic and other diseases.
“The Gambia Red Cross Society have mobilised their volunteers across the country, raised resources both local and internationally to complement Government efforts,” she also said.
She further said that, it is also commendable to see how GRCS was also able to support Government in its quest to enable business continuity during the past difficult pandemic years.
Jato Sillah, president of The Gambia Red Cross Society said every reality for many in African Sahel region are either food deficiency and malnutrition, poverty, armed conflicts, dramatic climate change or livelihood opportunities, noting that all of these are compounded by the vanishing hope of future of a million young people.
Mr. Sillah added that, Covid-19 restrictions have also forced more than a million children out of school in the Sahel region, prolonged schools’ closure and deprived children the opportunity to create a better future for themselves as well as increased their risk of abuse, neglect, violence and exploitation.
Mohammed Mukhier, IFRC regional director for Africa described hunger as the most undignified type of risk where people cannot feed themselves and their families, saying hunger is unacceptable and as such his office will continue to support National Societies in addressing hunger crises across Africa.
Meanwhile, the meeting will review the activities of the National Societies including achievements, challenges and discuss how Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies can continue to support their Governments through their auxiliary roles in dealing with existing and emerging humanitarian and development challenges.
The members of the group includes presidents and secretary generals of Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies of Chad, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal and The Gambia. Other participants to the meeting that will take place from 16th to 19th March 2022 include partners from National Societies outside of the continent and donors. The Gambia Red Cross Society will also take over as chair of the Sahel Plus Group for the next four years.
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