Address at the Closing of the 5th General Assembly of the Cambodian Red Cross

Phnom Penh, August 5^th, 2010

- Excellencies, Ladies, and Gentlemen,
- National and International Guests,
- Dear Participants!

Today I am extremely delighted and honored to participate in the closing of the “ 5^th General Assembly of the Cambodian Red Cross ” which has been held for the last two days. This General Assembly, has indeed provided us with the opportunity to take stock on the achievements made during the 4^th Term of Office of the Central Committee, and allowed us to review the progress and challenges faced by the core areas of the Cambodian Red Cross such as Promotion of the Fundamental Principles and Humanitarian Values, Disasters Management, Health and Care in the Community as well as Organizational Development and Resource Development, which are the key foundations for defining new directions and strategies for carrying out continued activities more effectively and greater success in the upcoming term of office. In this spirit, I strongly believe that this General Assembly has reviewed and thoroughly discussed about the work that has been implemented so far and diagnosed the root of various problems as the base for improving our action plans and identifying a clear direction for this 5th Term of Office of the Central Committee (The Governing Board) for the cause of accelerating poverty reduction, protecting human dignity and the humanitarian values the vulnerable people.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to highly appreciate all levels of management, officials, staffs, volunteers, and youth of the Cambodian Red Cross for putting their utmost efforts and making sacrifices in creating favorable conditions for the establishment of the Strategy 2011-2020 based on strengths, weaknesses, and past experiences withdrawn from the implementation of the Strategy 2003-2010. This work showed the consistency and unity between the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Cambodian Red Cross on humanitarian activities and poverty reduction. At the same time, I would like to praise all levels of management, officials, staff, volunteers, youth of the Cambodian Red Cross, and all donors for providing firm support and close cooperation in implementing humanitarian activity under the framework of various Cambodian Red Cross’s strategic plan in its historical mission for serving our nation and people until achieving tremendous outcomes as witness today.

For instance, the stocktaking report of Lok Chumteav the President of Cambodian Red Cross has highlighted major achievements and progress of the Cambodian Red Cross which give good reflection of the leadership, and firm determination for good governance with high responsibility, transparency, and accountability step by step until having established its structure from the national, sub-national, and local levels. At the same time, the Cambodian Red Cross has many volunteers and youth as the human resource who are capable of getting together in the society to mobilize and attract forces from all walks of life to participate in the humanitarian activity.

In this sense, we can clearly highlight that the Cambodian Red Cross has overcome many challenges with firm determination in promoting the value of “culture of sharing” for the common cause of saving victims at all places, in all circumstances, without discrimination, as once said in the saying that “ where there is suffering, there is the Red Cross ”. Indeed, these meanings are in line with the RGC’s long-term vision of constantly mobilizing the whole national strength, solidarity to defend our motherland and develop the country toward prosperity and ensure equitable distribution of the fruits of growth and poverty reduction so that every citizen can live in peace and harmony.

Meanwhile, on behalf of the RGC, I would like to highly appreciate the deed of our respectful His Majesty Preah Korona Preah Bat Samdeh Preah Boromoneath NORODOM SIHAMONI, King of the Cambodia, for his royal patronage yesterday at the opening of the 5th General Assembly of the Cambodian Red Cross. This profound action revealed the caring heart and full support for the humanitarian activity of the Cambodian Red Cross and His Majesty' s kind intention in sharing pain and suffering of the people and vulnerable across the country. All of these actions have indeed helped to strongly promote the reputation and prestige of the Cambodian Red Cross in the national and international arena.

The success of the Cambodian Red Cross’s humanitarian mission during its 4^th term of office, indeed, cannot be separated from the valuable contribution of related ministries/institutions through exchange of dialogues and honest constructive discussion on the work of Cambodian Red Cross and various recommendations for the implementation of Cambodian Red Cross action plans. This General Assembly indeed highlights contribution from related ministries/institutions and we all have unanimously approved the amendment to the Statute and the Rules of Procedure which are the principal legal document of the National Society. In general, the above amendment reflects the flexibility and actual circumstances of the Cambodian Red Cross, and complies with Cambodia’s public administrative reform. In this sense, we hope that the amendment will further strengthen and expand the association’s force in order to realize the spirit of Fundamental Principles and Humanitarian Value as stated in the vision and mission of the Cambodian Red Cross.

Along with this, the newly adopted strategy reflects the institution’s commitment as a whole and triggered its branches and sub-branches to assess priority issues occurring within their respective administrative territories, to continue improve their capacity and ability for addressing vulnerabilities, and continue institution and resource development to strengthen its force in each locality. Through this, we can see that the Cambodian Red Cross’s strategic framework, implementation framework and resource framework have been strengthened and expanded continuously to accommodate the institution’s motto that goes “doing more, doing better, reaching " .

Also, the new strategy indicates that the Cambodian Red Cross continue to draw attention from its braches and sub-branches to focus on disaster management by establishing early warning mechanism, vulnerability database management, the post disasters' recovery and the building up of community resilience. Moreover, the Cambodian Red Cross is determined to continue to improve traffic safety which is one of the man-made disasters as the rate of traffic accident still remain high, cost time, money and lives, and leave the society with disable people, orphans, widows, elders with caretakers, and other social issues. Along with this, the Cambodian Red Cross also strives to save lives and eliminate all kinds of discrimination, eliminate the use of drug and gambling that result in severe disaster for youth and the society, strengthen and expand youth force to be a core force for saving missions, and take part in the promotion of human dignity. In this spirit, I would like to encourage the Cambodian Red Cross to expand its activities even further including broader dissemination work, provision of deepened health information, and support timely life rescue mission everywhere and under all circumstances.

Based on these aspects, we can say the Cambodian Red Cross has been an active partner of the Royal Government and we have joined force to promote public awareness on accidents caused by remnants of war, to promote clean water supply capacity, and provide effective and equitable health services to the people through the expansion of disease prevention and treatment programs and maternal and infant support programs.

Moreover, the Cambodian Red Cross has joined the Royal Government in youth trainings, promotion of social morality, value of women and families, prevention of domestic violence and trafficking of women, promotion of the basic rights of children including the protection of vulnerable children such as orphans, disabled children, children in poor community through more trainings, rehabilitation and vocational trainings for vulnerable children, prevention of oppression and trafficking of children, and disaster management. These Cambodian Red Cross’s initiatives indeed respond to the actual circumstance of our society and take part in the Royal Government’s effort to accelerate poverty reduction and promotion of humanitarian value.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to show my utmost support to the members of the Central Committee newly elected by the 5^th General Assembly as well as the appointed secretary general, deputy secretary general, and the treasurer. I strongly believe that all members of the Central Committee, secretary general, deputy secretary general, treasurer, officials, volunteers and youth of the Cambodian Red Cross will continue your hard work to gain more achievements on humanitarian work and respond to disasters, especially relieve the hardship of vulnerable people across the country. Furthermore, the Royal Government will continue to provide its full support to the Cambodian Red Cross, in terms of policy, legal and supporting mechanism, material and finance, and encourage the Cambodian Red Cross to succeed in the implementation of its 2011-2020 Strategy. In the meantime, the government will continue its support in terms of policy, law, supporting mechanisms as well as equipment and budget to support and encourage the Cambodian Red Cross to successfully implement its 2011-2012 Strategy in the coming term of office as well as in the future.

At the same time, I would like to appeal to all members of central committee, board of management, staffs, volunteers and youths of the Cambodian Red Cross to continue strengthening and expanding responsibility, organizational development and resource development to secure financial sufficiency and stability of the Cambodian Red Cross for the cause of freeing our people from vulnerability, poverty, and strengthening closer relations with community of the vulnerable across the country and definitely transforming those communities into the core of the Cambodian Red Cross work.

Particularly, I would like to appeal to all relevant ministries/institutions, all levels of local authorities and all armed forces to continue paying more attention to providing reliable and effective cooperation and support for the implementation of humanitarian mission of the Cambodian Red Cross including educating, raising awareness on traffic safety, preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS, providing first aid, providing community healthcare service, saving disaster victims and so on. Moreover, we make effort to thoroughly understand beforehand vulnerability, potentially vulnerable areas, and group of vulnerable people in the territory of jurisdiction and authority, and then compile a proper data system that facilitate us in planning preventions and taking measures to compensate impact and loss of the people when the emergency and disaster situations occur. These will create a favorable condition for the Cambodian Red Cross to fully and effectively fulfill its obligations and missions, and live up to it name as a leading national association in humanitarian work, and to work across sectors to help Cambodian society, especially to help the vulnerable at local communities.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to appeal to all entities, private enterprises, civil society, NGOs and relevant communities to strengthen our solidarity built in the past so that you can participate in achieving the strategic plan that has been adopted by Cambodian Red Cross. Furthermore, we must create more opportunities for each community to learn from each other about their work experience so that they can take up good points and modify them to fit their territorial priorities in reducing disasters and promoting humanitarian basic principle and value, especially in succeeding ownership of each community.

In overall, the power of solidarity and support with active participation will consolidate into momentum and enable more favorable condition for the Cambodian Red Cross to further strenghthen capacity and capability for more comprehensive executing humanitarian mission and rescuing victims regardless of time and space.

Achievement and success that Cambodian Red Cross has made duirng made duirng 4th mandate, like those during 55 years ago, could not be decoupled from participations from Their Majesties Heroic King Father and The Queen Mother of the Khmer Nation, Honorary President of the Cambodian Red Cross and His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, the King of of Cambodia for continuous attention to lives of the people, children, grand children, great grand children and the vulnerables at everywhere for which Their Majesties always donate Their own assets to help victims of disaster through Cambodian Red Cross.

Taking this auspicious opportunity, I would like to wish His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia, Their Majesties Heroic King Father and Queen Mother of the Khmer Nation, Honorary President of the Cambodian Red Cross good health and long lives in order to remain as symbole of humanitarian power and greatr shelter for all Cambodian people, children, grand children and great grand children.

At the same time, I would like to express my deep appreciation to kind attitude and supports from Excellencies, Lok Oknhas, ladies, and gentlemen, members of great Red Cross family as well as national and international development partners, and all private sectors for providing spiritual and material support to Cambodian Red Cross for the cause of humanitarian act. Indeed, these valuable supports help reduce suffering and hardship and gradually promote safety, dignity and livelihood of our people. Power of great solidarity and culture of sharing of our people and the kind-hearted are immortally priceless.

At the end, along with closing the 5th General Assembly of the Cambodian Red Cross I would like to wish all attending Excellencies, Lok Chumteav, Lok Oknha, Ladies and Gentlemen, National and International Distinguished Guests, the kind-hearted, members, volunteers and youth of Cambodian Red Cross the four gems of Buddhist blessings: Longevity, Nobility, Health and Strength.