Bhutan Red Cross Society (BRCS) takes first step towards formulating Pre-disaster Agreement in the country.
Once the agreement is developed, the Royal Government of Bhutan, Bhutan Red Cross Society, and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement will sign on it.
The Pre-disaster Agreement will assure support to Bhutan from other 190 member societies in times of disaster in future.
Since it is a tri-party Pre-disaster Agreement, the Bhutan Red Cross Society held its first consultative meeting with relevant ministries and international experts yesterday in Thimphu.
The agreement has to be developed in line with the national contingency planning standards. Though the Pre-disaster agreement is accepted only after the establishment of the national society, the BRCS shared that international members have agreed to formulate the agreement since most of the BRCS’s standards are approved.
“The agreement actually facilitates movement of technical expertise, human resources and relief aid in times of any disaster so that victims of the disaster receive humanitarian assistance as soon as possible,” said Vijay Kumar, Senior Officer, Operations, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society.
Apart from technical assistance, the Pre-disaster Agreement will facilitate victims to receive financial support through the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement disaster response mechanism.
Different ministries and departments of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement will coordinate the movement of the expertise and equipment to the country that needs assistance.
The movement will provide support based on the requirement of the country.
