Poland: ICRC Brings Together National Societies and IFRC to Boost Emergency Preparedness in Europe
On 20-21 March, ICRC brought together 13 European National Societies for a workshop in Warsaw to strengthen their preparedness for emergencies - including armed conflict – and the coordination mechanisms within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (the Movement).
Discussions emphasized the critical obligations of states under IHL and explored how National Societies, supported by the ICRC and the IFRC, can assist public authorities in humanitarian efforts during both peacetime and crisis. The participants shared practical lessons from recent preparedness and response initiatives drawing from the experiences of the Swedish and Ukrainian Red Cross, which allowed for the reflection on the challenges and opportunities for National Societies to act as an auxiliary to the public authorities on humanitarian issues. The workshop ended with the identification of actionable steps to enhance readiness and coordination at both national and regional levels.
