Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) said Friday that a delegation from the organization paid a visit to the Republic of Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic in central Asia to explore cooperation opportunities in humanitarian action, diplomacy, and capacity building.
In a statement released to the press today, Qatar Red Crescent said that it signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan (RCST) and the Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan (RCSK).
The visiting delegation was comprised of QRC Secretary-General Saleh bin Ali Al-Mohannadi and Head of QRC International Relations and International Humanitarian Law Dr. Fawzi Oussedik was welcomed warmly by the officials of the host National Societies, who showed absolute understanding and openness to cooperation in all humanitarian issues of interest for this important part of Asia.
First, the delegation visited Tajikistan. It was received at the Dushanbe International Airport by RCST leaders, notably the Secretary-General Murodali Ruziev.
Over four days, the delegation held several meetings with RCST senior officials, the head of mission of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Minister of Health Salimzoda Nusratullo, and the head of mission of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Andrea Paque.
During these meetings, the participants discussed priorities of common humanitarian action, mainly the issues of migration, refugees, health, and disaster preparedness.
The delegation also made field tours of several humanitarian projects executed by the different branches of RCST, including the Children's Cancer Hospital, the Disabled Children's Hospital, the Psycho-mental Children's Shelter, the in-progress water and sanitation project in Dachak, the Social Charitable Fund of Tajikistan, an elementary school established under the Community-Based Institutional Development Program, and the Migration Training Center.
After that, the delegation headed for Kyrgyzstan. Over two days, it held meetings with the RCSK Deputy Director Marat Kachkynbekov, the World Assembly of Muslim Youth in Bishkek, the Mayor of Bishkek, the Deputy Speaker of the Kyrgyz Parliament, and the Minister of Social Development, Mr. Bazarbaev Kudaibergen Bazarbaevich.
The visit involved tours of some RCSK projects, the refugee mobile clinic settlement, the National Chest Hospital, the project of the Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA), the new facilities at the National Tuberculosis Center, a hospice, a retirement home, and the Children's Crisis Center.