Partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross

TodayI announce a new partnership agreement between the Australian Government andthe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to help meet the mosturgent humanitarian needs in our region and around the world.

Australiaand the ICRC have worked in partnership for more than 40 years. Withunparalleled access to victims of armed conflict, the ICRC plays a criticalrole in ensuring Australian assistance reaches those most in need.

Australiais providing $110 million over four years to the ICRC to protect peopleaffected by conflict and violence, deliver life-saving food and medical aid tomillions, reunite families separated by conflict, and promote respect forinternational humanitarian law worldwide.

Oursupport will focus particularly on the needs of women and girls, and peoplewith disabilities. It will also help drive innovation and harness privatesector expertise in the provision of humanitarian assistance to improveeffectiveness and value for money, including piloting new water and renewableenergy technologies to meet humanitarian needs in remote and hard to reachareas.

Lastyear, the ICRC provided food to 14.8 million people, delivered medicalassistance to over 3.8 million people, and helped build and maintaininfrastructure benefitting 28.4 million people. I commend the work of theICRC's field workers, who risk their lives to deliver support to the world'smost vulnerable people.