09 December 2009 : The final report of the Disaster Relief and Preparedness Commission of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) was presented to its General Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya by its Chairman S. H. Nimal Kumar, who is also the current National Secretary of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society.
The elevation of Mr. Nimal Kumar to this prestigious post for a four year period at the IFRC General Assembly held in 2005 in Seoul South Korea, made it the first time in the annals of Sri Lanka Red Cross Society that it was elected to this key Red Cross Committee and its chairmanship of the Asia -Pacific Region. Many dignitaries in the Red Cross movement considered it a mark of international recognition for the invaluable services rendered to the vulnerable by the SLRCS over the years.
Eight members of the Disaster Management and Relief Commission were elected from 186 Red Cross National Societies across the world.
The Commission which met every six months was responsible for policy making, strategy planning, evaluation and monitoring pertaining to disaster management globally . It also functioned as an Advisory Body to the Governing Board of the International Federation. Mr. Nimal Kumar presented the progress of the Advisory Body at all its governing board sessions in addition to the commission meeting.
At the Nairobi General Assembly meeting, Mr. Nimal Kumar presented the Disaster Preparedness and Relief Advisory body's final report to the 186 member societies worldwide, thus successfully completing the mission entrusted him by the General Assembly.
Mr Nimal Kumar also had the opportunity of chairing Council of Delegates sessions, represented by the three components of the Red Cross Movement, ICRC, Federation and 186 member National Societies. Inaugurated by the President and Prime Minister of Kenya, the sessions with around 5000 attendees from all over the world was facilitated by 10 panellists.
The Red Cross Movement will now present the recommendations of this conference to the global conference on climate change now ongoing Copenhagen with participation of world leaders.The progress of tsunami programme implemented by the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society for the last five years was s also presented. At the General Assembly he also updated the Council of Delegates on the programme and the challenges in the implementation of relief and recovery endeavours of the SLRCS and Red Cross and Red Crescent partners in the North and East of Sri Lanka after the recent displacement.
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