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Work of the Standing Commission
As a non-operational body, the role of the Standing Commission is to
prepare Movement-wide policies based on the harmonious coordination of
concerns and strengths of each of its components. The main priorities
since the last Council of Delegates and the International Conference have
been threefold: to develop a Strategy for the Movement as a whole, to
negotiate a comprehensive solution to the emblems and to promote greater
efficiency and cooperation in international relief operations.
It has been the Commission's firm policy to promote in its work the participation
of National Societies alongside the Geneva-based institutions. This is
best evidenced in the five ad hoc groups, which have actively worked on
the overall Strategy, the emblem issue, the conduct of international relief
operations, the work of the Council of Delegates, and preparations for
the International Conference in 2003. All of these will be dealt with
separately in this Newsletter and of course at the Council. At its meeting,
the Standing Commission reviewed its own report to the Council of Delegates,
which you have received by now.
As mentioned in the previous Newsletter, and following the recommendation
by its Working Group, National Societies will at the coming Council meeting
experience a new, more participatory and active manner of working.
Strategy for the Movement
The Working Group on the Strategy held its last meeting in Stockholm
in August to finalise its work and to incorporate into that Strategy the
many comments and suggestions received from National Societies, the Federation
and the ICRC. A record 79 responses from National Societies were received,
which the Commission interpreted as underlining the importance of an overall
Strategy for the Movement. I greatly appreciate the hard and dedicated
work by all involved. A Strategy for the Movement fulfils one of my ardent
and long-cherished wishes.
The Strategy in its final form, to be discussed and decided upon in the
Council, builds on the Federation's Strategy 2010 and on the ICRC's Avenir
Plan. It is structured around three strategic objectives and outlines
in 17 action points how we as components of the Movement can work together
more efficiently for the victims of conflict and natural disaster.
The objectives refer to areas of importance to the Red Cross/Red Crescent
in our everyday work: (1) strengthening the components of the Movement,
(2) improving the Movement's effectiveness and efficiency through increased
cooperation and coherence, and (3) improving the Movement's image and
its relations with governments and external partners.
The Strategy outlines practical actions to achieve these objectives and
calls on all components to actively implement them. The Council will at
its meeting receive some recommendations and guidelines on how the Standing
Commission assesses progress made and experiences gained.
However, we are not only concerned about developing systems and mechanisms.
The Strategy also underlines the importance of building trust and open,
transparent cooperation in which all components participate on an equal
footing. It is about values, the Red Cross/Red Crescent principles - the
glue that keeps us together in the world's greatest network of humanitarian
action. We must never lose sight of the ultimate raison d'être -
to bring assistance to people in need and to improve the lives of vulnerable
people.
Every two years we will be calling on National Societies to actively
report on steps taken and progress made. You will receive a consolidated
report on the implementation of the Strategy at future Council meetings.
This shows that we are embarking on a process of continuous monitoring,
review and revision. The active, participatory process will immediately
begin at this coming Council meeting, where we will work, for the very
first time, in three commissions to debate the Strategy and its implications
for our future work. I would like to kindly urge you all to actively participate
in the debate.
Report on the Implementation of the Seville Agreement
According to Article 10.5 of the 1997 Seville Agreement and Resolution
6 of the 1997 Council of Delegates, the Standing Commission approved,
with some minor changes, a report on the implementation of the Seville
Agreement. The report shows progress and describes experiences and lessons
learnt in major operations during the last two years. It recognises the
process of harmonization of systems and procedures between the ICRC and
the Federation. The ICRC and the Federation will present the report to
the Council.
It also notes the need to further clarify the roles and responsibilities
of National Societies, taking into account their increased interest in
active involvement in international operations and their capacity to do
so. However, there is room for improvement in active and transparent coordination
of the activities of all components. Some National Societies still tend
to work in isolation during operations and to follow their own agenda.
As Chairman of the Standing Commission I am very pleased to note the
progress made, and encourage all National Societies to continue to work
closely with the Geneva-based organisations towards the principles outlined
in the preamble of the Seville Agreement: "….the adoption of
a collaborative spirit, in which every member of the Movement values the
contribution of the other members as partners in a global humanitarian
enterprise. It is an agreement on cooperation and not merely on a division
of labour…"
Conduct of International Relief Operations
Pursuant to Resolution 5 of the 1999 Council of Delegates, the Standing
Commission established an Ad Hoc Group on the conduct of international
relief operations. Originally it was asked to develop operational models
designed, among other things, to facilitate immediate field action, coordination
of appeals for resources and effective management of all the Movement's
resources. Based on extensive review of experiences, the Group joined
in a conclusion that "there are no ready-made organisational solutions
that will fit all eventualities". It further recognised that the
Movement's strength resides in the very fact that it is able to be flexible
and to seek appropriate solutions within the existing frameworks and agreed
mechanisms such as the Seville Agreement. The clear recommendations, geared
toward improving and coordinating the Movement's response to emergencies,
have been integrated into the Movement Strategy.
I fully agree with the group's conclusion that key words in international
relief operations are "complementarity, consultation, support, mutual
respect and trust".
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Refugees
IDPs and refugees is another theme to be discussed and debated in three
parallel commissions during the Council meeting. The report prepared by
the ICRC and the Federation can serve as a basis for further deliberations.
It outlines a large number of issues relevant to internal and international
situations. Not only conflicts - internal or international - but also,
increasingly, other disasters - natural or technological - lead to displacement
of people internally or outside their country of normal residence.
Most National Societies are somehow involved in work with refugees and
IDPs. Many have special agreements with UNHCR. The work in the parallel
commissions will be very important, especially to address questions such
as the role of National Societies, their expectations of the Federation
and the ICRC in dealing with IDPs and refugees, and their relationship
with UNCHR and other relevant agencies.
Promotion of International Humanitarian Law, Humanitarian Values and
Fundamental Principles
Under this agenda item, the Council will, among other things, hear a
report on where we stand in our ongoing efforts to find a solution to
the emblems through the proposed Third Additional Protocol. As you all
know, almost a year ago, unrest in the Middle East interrupted the process
of convening a Diplomatic Conference and subsequently an International
Conference. Ever since, it has not been possible to resolve the longstanding
issues surrounding our emblem. There are, however, ongoing consultations
with governments and other relevant parties to resolve the issues at hand.
In spite of the difficulties during the last year and the recent events
in the US, it is my sincere hope and desire that we will continue to strengthen
our efforts towards the clear objective of securing membership of the
Movement for those National Societies which have as yet been unable to
do so. I reaffirm the Standing Commission's position that a comprehensive
solution acceptable to all parties, required by the decision of the International
Conference in 1999, can only be found through the adoption of the proposed
Third Protocol. I also confirm the Standing Commission's determination
to continue working for the negotiation and adoption of the proposed Protocol
without delay. In the meantime, I welcome the many new initiatives in
bringing both the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the Magen David Adom
into closer cooperation and dialogue with all components of the Movement.
International Conference 2003
The Council will hear a progress report from the Ad Hoc Group working
towards the next Conference. It has established criteria on the basis
of which the final agenda for the Conference will be drawn up. The Group
has recommended that a limited number of topics of specific importance
to the Red Cross/Red Crescent be dealt with, organized under one overall
theme. These topics are to reflect our areas of expertise and to build
on experience gained from implementing the Plan of Action of the 1999
International Conference. They will at least address concerted action
to fight world pandemics such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis and stronger
action to protect and assist civilians affected by armed conflict.
The Federation and the ICRC, which are co-hosting the Conference, are
presently engaged in finding suitable time frames for all statutory meetings
and the Conference in the autumn of 2003, which will take into consideration
Ramadan and other important events. I hope a final time frame can be presented
at the Council. The next meeting of the Ad Hoc Group is on 19 and 20 December.
Finance
The Standing Commission heard the presentation of the proposed budget
for 2002. It has been reduced by 18% compared with the budget for the
current year 2001. The Commission was informed that the ICRC and the Federation
are not in a position to increase their contributions in 2002 and requested
the Secretariat to review the proposal by its next meeting on 4 November.
New Secretary of the Standing Commission
The Standing Commission thanks Marc van der Stock for his outstanding
work, contributions and commitment as outgoing Secretary of the Standing
Commission. It warmly welcomes as his successor Helena Korhonen who has
led the Secretariat since the beginning of September. She has a long history
with the Finnish Red Cross where she served as Director of Organisation
and Policy before moving to Budapest in 1999 to take up her most recent
position as Head of the Federation's Regional Delegation for Central Europe.
Marc has returned to Belgium and to his 'pre-Red Cross' career, taking
up the position of CEO for two psychiatric clinics in his home town. I
wish both every success in their respective tasks.
The Standing Commission will meet on 4 November, just before the upcoming
statutory meetings, where I hope to see you.
Sincerely yours,
Princess Margriet
Chairman
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