Humanitarian agreement signed

 THE Government has signed an agreement with the International Committee for the Red Cross to expand its humanitarian work in the country.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday by Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato and ICRC head of mission in PNG Gauthier Lefevre.

The agreement protects “ICRC confidentiality” – essential to address sensitive issues and maintain access to detainees, fighters, community leaders and victims of armed violence. Pato said the ICRC had been carrying out “a fantastic humanitarian work” in the country since 2007.

“They have contributed substantially to national development,” Pato said.

He saidthe agreement gave ICRC the legal guarantee and the diplomatic immunities and privileges “to carry on with the good work they have been doing over the years”.

Lefevre said it had taken the Department of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and the ICRC “a while for this agreement to happen”.

“The Government and ICRC have not been waiting for this agreement to get along to work. In fact we’ve been working closely together for nine years with the full support of authorities and we’ve accomplished a lot of things,” he said.

Every year Red Cross assists PNG in many different needs,

The recent one being a health post, Kalolo in Kagua Erave, Southern Highlands for over 20,000 people who were affected by the tribal violence in the area.