23 Oct 2014

Pacific Red Cross leaders agree on joint approach

12:25 pm on 23 October 2014

Red Cross leaders in the Pacific have for the first time decided on a joint approach for the region, ahead of several major international conferences in the coming year.

Presidents and Secretary Generals from 13 Pacific Red Cross societies ranging from New Zealand, Australia and Papua New Guinea to Palau and Solomon Islands met in Fiji this month for their annual leaders' forum.

A Red Cross spokesperson for the Pacific, Finau Heuifanga Limuloa, says it is a challenge to get such a group together and decide on common goals.

"It's about creating that cohesive voice on a global level to feed into these international processes that we are going to be stuck with for the next 10 years so that's new sustainable development goals, Hyogo Framework for Action, and just making sure that the Pacific is also represented or the Pacific voice and the Pacific position."

Finau Heuifanga Limuloa says all Red Cross societies, including in the Pacific, are given direction but this is the first time the Pacific representatives have set their own agenda.

Red Cross leaders will now travel to China to meet their Red Cross counterparts from the Middle East and Asia.