Canada Announces a New Partnership With the Canadian Red Cross to Enhance Humanitarian Assistance

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwire -06/23/12)- Today, the Honourable Beverley J. Oda announced a new strategic partnership with the Canadian Red Cross that will improve Canada's ability to respond effectively and efficiently to humanitarian disasters.

"For more than a century, the Canadian Red Cross has earned the trust of Canadians to be there in times of need for families and communities in the aftermath of a crisis," said Minister Oda. "We are proud that the Canadian Red Cross has also been a strong partner of the government in its international development and humanitarian work for more than 40 years."

Minister Oda announced the partnership today while attending the Canadian Red Cross's Annual General Meeting, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer Conrad Sauve.

"The Canadian Red Cross is an effective channel for Canadians to express care for their neighbours and people around the world," Mr. Sauve said. "We welcome this strategic partnership since it strengthens the abilities of both the Canadian Red Cross and CIDA to support vulnerable communities and respond to emergency situations where lives are at stake."

The partnership between CIDA and the Canadian Red Cross aims to strengthen national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in developing countries so that they are better able to respond to disasters and conflict, improve Canada's ability to respond quickly and efficiently to humanitarian crises, and increase public awareness of Canadian humanitarian efforts.

"Through this strategic partnership with the Canadian Red Cross, Canada will help strengthen local societies in targeted countries and improve the international humanitarian response capacity," Minister Oda said.

The Canadian Red Cross is one of 187 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies that are part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, (http://www.redcross.int/en/) the largest humanitarian network in the world. CIDA and the Canadian Red Cross have successfully collaborated for more than 40 years, improving the lives of the vulnerable and meeting the basic human needs of emergency-affected populations around the world.

BACKGROUNDER

Strategic partnership between the Canadian International Development Agency and the Canadian Red Cross

On June 23, 2012, The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the Canadian Red Cross Society (CRCS) signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance Canada's humanitarian assistance. The strategic partnership will serve to:

 

--  Strengthen and build the capacity and resiliency of people, local
    authorities, national societies, and communities in developing countries
    to better prepare for, respond to, and recover from crisis situations so
    that they can lead their own humanitarian response efforts
--  Enhance collaboration between CIDA and the CRCS, based on a shared
    commitment to rapidly reach more people in need and increase sustainable
    humanitarian emergency response capacity that respects human rights,
    international humanitarian law, sound and accountable management
    practices, and an enhanced understanding of developing countries
--  Expand or develop new, cooperative humanitarian response initiatives
    with a view to strengthening the global humanitarian response system

The partnership between CIDA and the CRCS will seek to achieve sustainable and effective humanitarian outcomes in targeted countries, capitalizing on CIDA's and the CRCS's humanitarian experience, institutional strengths, and networks.

The partnership will further seek to achieve the following goals:

 

--  Strengthen the response capacities of national Red Cross and Red
    Crescent societies in targeted countries to mitigate, better prepare
    for, and/or respond to emergencies
--  Strengthen select national societies in core aspects of their
    organizational development, including strong leadership and self-
    sufficiency
--  Strengthen the abilities of both the CRCS and CIDA to provide a timely,
    effective, and appropriate response to the needs of crises-affected
    populations in developing countries
--  Strengthen and complement the current international humanitarian
    assistance system, including through close collaboration with the
    International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
--  Engage Canadians and build support for and involvement in Canada's
    humanitarian efforts

The goals of the strategic partnership will be realized by up to $100 million in programming over five years, of which up to $75 million will be contributed by CIDA and up to $25 million by the CRCS.