News

ICRC focuses on Humanitarian Law

November 23, 2015 2:07 am

The vice president of the International Committee of the Red Cross – Dr Christine Beerli was recently in Fiji looking at the operations of its regional branch.

This is the first time a senior executive of the ICRC has visited Fiji and held meetings with the Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, the defence forces and the President of the Red Cross in Fiji.

Dr Beerli says the organization mostly deals with the International Humanitarian Law and while in Fiji she visited the prisons as well.

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“Our mandate is to be the organization helping in situations of conflict and other situations of violence. But of course also we have presence in countries where there is no conflict because it is a diplomatic presence and it is a presence also on invitation of the government to help build up knowledge in law related matters as I said before and to train police forces and armed forces.”

ICRC’s regional headquarters is based in Fiji – which covers 14 countries including Australia and New Zealand.

Dr Beerli also attended the 100th anniversary of the New Zealand Red Cross.