Yesterday delegates elected five people from National Societies to the nine-member Standing Commission, which is the trustee of the International Conference. Its responsibilities include encouraging and furthering the implementation of resolutions of the International Conference.

298 valid ballots were cast in the first round of voting. Candidates needed more than fifty percent (more than 150 votes) for election. After the first ballot, five of the remaining candidates withdrew and a second ballot was held during the afternoon to elect the two remaining National Society members. The five elected members serve a term of four years.

The National Society members are -
HRH Princess Margriet of The Netherlands, (The Netherlands Red Cross);
Christina Magnuson, (Swedish Red Cross);
Tadateru Konoe (Japanese Red Cross);
Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid (Jordan National Red Crescent);
Dr Abdul Rahman A. Al Swailem (Saudi Arabian Red Crescent Society).

The other members are -
Dr Astrid Heiberg (President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies);
Cornelio Sommaruga (President of the International Committee of the Red Cross);
George Weber (Secretary General of the International Federation);
Yves Sandoz (Director of international law and communication, ICRC).

At a meeting of the Standing Commission last night, Princess Margriet was elected chairman and Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid was elected vice-chairman.

“Partnership with relevant humanitarian organizations with specific complementary mandates remains key. ” With this statement the assistant high commissioner for refugees, Soren Jessen-Pedersen, encapsulated the theme of the interventions made by four UN agencies to yesterday’s second plenary meeting. Representatives from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), as well as the UNHCR, applauded the strong cooperation their agencies had enjoyed with members of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Daniel Pierotti, of the UNFPA, cited examples of reproductive health care projects on which his organization has collaborated with the International Federation. He said: “We are delighted with the quality of the cooperation and hope to continue to work together and pool our resources.”

Mr Jessen-Pedersen confirmed the UNHCR's strong support for the aims of the Plan of Action, particularly the emphasis it places on the need for enhanced protection of refugees and displaced persons. “We fully share the strong concern expressed by President Sommaruga that protection as a whole is increasingly under threat,” he said. “Cooperation on the ground is effective, but we must work to enhance it further.”

Robert Landis, of the WMO, acknowledged the fruitful working relationship between his organization and the Movement: “The Red Cross and Red Crescent was perhaps one of the first of the international agencies to use and appreciate our forecasts, particularly with regard to El Niño.” He also pointed out that the WMO and the Federation are currently collaborating on a book about the climate of the 20th century.

The deputy director of UNDP’s emergency response division, Larry De Boice, said that his organization was committed to finding joint strategies to deal not only with the humanitarian consequences of disaster, but with the alleviation of their root causes, both in pre-and post-crisis situations. He said this approach could only be achievable by national institutions which are in place before, during and after crises, and that the Red Cross and Red Crescent was unique in this regard. “Given the scale and complexity of the crises in today’s world, it is clear that no organization can achieve effective and lasting results on its own,” he said.
During this morning’s final plenary meeting, the conclusions of the work of the drafting committee on the Declaration and Plan of Action will be presented for adoption by the International Conference. There will also be a summary report on the workshops. The closing ceremony will include a reading of the conference Declaration and the presentation of the recorded pledges. This will be followed by a press conference with the conference chairman, Dr Mamdouh Gabr, at 1.00pm in salle XVIII.

Dr Gabr will meet the press, together with the chairman of the Standing Commission, the president of the International Federation, the president of the ICRC, and the conference spokesman.
On your return flight, try to drink one litre of water every four hours to prevent dehydration from the aircraft’s air-conditioning system. Get up and walk around to stretch your legs, and remove your shoes while sitting down - wear extra socks and move your feet as much as possible. If it’s a long flight, try to sleep - an eye mask and ear plugs will help you to block out distracting light and noise.

If you are heading west, try to go to sleep an hour or two later than normal tonight to reduce the effects of jetlag. If you are heading east, try to go to sleep an hour or two earlier tonight.

The final daily bulletin will be issued in English during this afternoon. It will also be available on the Movement's website. French and Spanish versions will follow shortly afterwards.
This bulletin is for information purposes only. It does not constitute an official record.