An official delegation from Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has visited Kenya to discuss further opportunities of co-operation, capacity building and promotion of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Africa.
The delegation, comprising Dr Aisha Yousef al-Mannai, QRCS vice-president, and Dr Fawzi Oussedik, head of QRCS international relations, was received by Dr Abbas Gullet, secretary-general of Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS).
The delegation had an extensive agenda for its stay in the country. They visited Al-Mustaqbal University in Garissa, chaired by Dr Gullet, to explore the co-operation outlook between QRCS and KRCS, particularly in promotion of IHL.
It was agreed to hold a moot court competition for law students of the university, like the held by QRCS in Uganda. The moot court will be chaired by Dr Oussedik and will be managed by a jury of legal professors and experts.
Dr al-Mannai delivered a lecture for College of Islamic Studies students about the importance of volunteerism and humanitarianism, stressing the need to enforce the IHL. The lecture was attended by a large number of people.
A seminar was held with the university’s faculty on their interest in voluntary work and related fields, highlighting some challenges that may hinder progress in this regard.
Also, the delegation visited the KRCS first-aid department to review its services for the society at large and Somali refugees in particular. They undertook a tour of King Faisal Hospital, the country’s central hospital funded by Saudi Arabia, where they talked to some of the in-patients.
Later, the visitors moved to Lamu County, about 600km from Nairobi, to visit the KRCS branch there and have an idea about its activities, especially in relation to drug control. They made informal conversations with some newly recovered addicts to know what services they received that helped them overcome addiction and fill their free time with useful activities.
Lastly, the Qatari delegation visited the Kenya-Somalia frontiers to watch the difficulties faced by humanitarian efforts there, which are to be considered when developing future relief and development programmes for Somali refugees in Kenya.
The visit helped bolster relations and deepen the co-operation between QRCS and KRCS, under the umbrella of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.