Regional meeting of the IFRC cluster for Southeast Europe

In the period April 25-26, 2023, a regional meeting of the cluster of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for Southeast Europe was held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The regional meeting was held in two parts, i.e. one part where desk officers from 8 National Societies discussed the challenges and future responses to the needs of the population in the region, and the second part was a meeting of the Secretaries General of the National Societies from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro. The representatives of the IFRC Solferino Academy facilitated the discussion on current and possible impacts on the work of the Red Cross in the next 3 years related to several factors such as politics, economy, migrations, technology development, media, environment, public health, agriculture and food safety and civil society.

The Secretaries General had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the role of the new format of the operation of the IFRC in the region through the cluster office and the opportunities for joint support. Within the discussions, the participants emphasized the need for more active presence and promotion of opportunities for cooperation and development through the cluster office of the IFRC, encouragement of mutual support of ND and joint initiatives, and active joint preparation of the statutory meetings of the Movement in 2024.