By Astou Jawara
The Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) is, from 16-19 March 2022, playing host to the General Assembly of the Sahel Plus Group. The members of the group include Presidents and Secretary Generals of National Red Cross and Crescent Societies of Chad, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal and The Gambia. Other participants of the meeting are said to include partners from National Societies outside of the continent and donors.
The meeting is meant to review the activities of the national societies, including achievements, challenges, and discuss how Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies could continue to support their governments through their auxiliary roles in dealing with existing and emerging humanitarian and development challenges.
The Gambia Red Cross will also take over as Chair of the Sahel Plus Group for the next five years, it has been disclosed.
Vice President Dr. Isatou Touray of The Gambia, in her address, said inter alia the assembly demonstrates the unique nature and solidarity that exist within the Red Cross (societies) in mobilizing the power of humanity; noting they were meeting at a time when the world is challenged with so many and complex humanitarian situations with limited resources. “This further reaffirms the need for more collaboration through partnerships, capitalizing on the comparative advantage of all,” Dr. Touray added.
She also commented on the GRCS’ availability to support the government in its quest to ensure business continuity during the past difficult pandemic years, saying while responding to Covid-19, GRCS was also able to support the government in responding to other disasters such as windstorms and floods.
“We hope you will use your presence in The Gambia to explore other areas of cooperation with the Gambia Red Cross, whilst our government will continue to provide the enabling environment,” the country’s number 2 told the visiting group.
Mr. Jato Sillah, President Gambia Red Cross Society, hailed its Secretary General Mr. Alasan Senghore for his commitment and hard work to make the GRCS stand firm over the years. “It is really a great honour for the Gambia Red Cross Society to host this important meeting, as we all know, every reality for many in Africa Sahel region are either food deficiency and malnutrition or armed conflicts, dramatic climate change or livelihood opportunities–all of these are compounded by the vanishing hope of a future for millions of young people,” Sillah lamented. He underlined that food insecurity, hunger crisis, among others, are persistently high in the region coupled with widespread poverty.
The GRCS president further decried that the Sahelian region is also suffering from the effects of climate change as well as erratic rainfall patterns in the face of climate change.
