Reference :
V-P-SY-E-00343
Date :
25/10/2013
Caption :
Aleppo. The facade of this building collapsed following shelling. Residents make the most of what's left, with each apartment telling a unique story.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
ICRC website
Syria: Working with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to deliver humanitarian assistance
02-05-2014 Operational Update
In March and April, the delivery of water, food and other aid items to people affected by the conflict continued to be a major challenge. Amid ongoing hostilities, the ICRC assisted over 900,000 people across the country, working closely with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC).
"The SARC's presence in both Government and opposition-controlled areas, its proximity to affected populations, the dedication of its staff and volunteers and their deep knowledge of the terrain allow the ICRC to deliver aid even in the most challenging environments," said Daphnée Maret, deputy head of the ICRC delegation who coordinates assistance programmes in Syria.
Food and other aid items remain central to today's ICRC emergency response, but close coordination with local actors like the SARC is more than ever needed to operate and deliver in areas where the organization does not yet have a permanent presence.
"How we coordinate with SARC headquarters and its local branches determines to a great extent our ability to assist people," explained Ms Maret. "By working closely with SARC at a local level, we can better understand the landscape and the needs."
A typical assistance operation requires an assessment of the needs, negotiating the necessary authorizations, an up-to-date evaluation of the security situation and, lastly, the deployment of multi-truck convoys that need to pass through numerous checkpoints to reach their destinations.
"Close cooperation means well-coordinated and effective assistance to people directly affected by the conflict," said Firas al Nakeeb, the SARC's Damascus-based field coordinator. "The ICRC supports us by virtue of its long experience working in armed conflicts worldwide and we in turn provide it with our understanding of local needs and dynamics."
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
3872x2592
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
