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ICRC keen to bolster its cooperation with China in Africa: official

Xinhua, June 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is keen to further strengthen its relation with China for partnership on humanitarian operation in Africa, said an ICRC official.

Jacques Pellet, Special Envoy of the ICRC President on China Affairs, told Xinhua in an interview in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa Friday that ICRC wants to engage China more on its activities related to humanitarian assistance in Africa, where ICRC spends one-third of its budget.

The Special Envoy said his visit to Ethiopia aimed to learn the humanitarian activities in Africa through African Union (AU), and also to discuss ways of strengthening cooperation with China on ICRC humanitarian operation on the continent.

"We have already a good relation (with China), but we want to strengthen this relation because China today is a global player; it is very influential in all part of the world, including here in Africa," he said.

"My mission is to build this relation, to engage China more on our activities linked to humanitarian assistance, and in that context, it is very important to come to Africa," said Pellet.

Stating that ICRC has large presence in Africa for humanitarian operation, Pellet said the organization wants to engage China more on its humanitarian assistance and seek more cooperation on stabilization of countries affected by conflicts.

China's presence in Africa is growing fast as the country engages in trade and investment with the continent, said Pellet, noting that China is also active in boosting peace and security in Africa.

ICRC is active in South Sudan, DR Congo, Mali, and Somalia, where there is room for cooperation with China, he noted. Endit