By Arwa Al-Wagayan
KUWAIT, Nov 19 (KUNA) -- The 25th anniversary of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) regional mission in Kuwait and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will be marked on Monday, in an event reflecting the ICRC strong relationship with Kuwait.
The event will bring together all entities supporting the ICRC over the last 25 years in its humanitarian mission to alleviate the suffering of many people due war, armed conflicts, and natural disasters.
On this occasion, the committee cooperated with Sheikha Intisar Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah and the Kuwaiti Fine Artist Amira Behbehani to gather prominent Kuwaiti women to discuss the challenges faced by women during wars in a closed conference tomorrow.
The headquarters of the ICRC's regional mission in Kuwait was opened in 1991 and officially launched its work in the GCC region through the Kuwaiti headquarters since that time.
The first and main objective of establishing the headquarters of the regional mission in Kuwait was to visit and protect the prisoners and search for the missing persons in the Gulf War 1990-1991.
The ICRC expanded their work significantly in the GCC region thanks to the support and cooperation of the Kuwaiti authorities and their close partnership with the Kuwait Red Crescent Society.
They are working with several government agencies in the region to improve conditions, develop services of prisoners in the Gulf countries, and raise awareness on the international humanitarian law.
The regional mission also plays a major role in supporting ICRC humanitarian operations in Yemen through its Muscat office and the Salalah logistics center.
Kuwait is one of the first Arab countries to provide financial and diplomatic support for the ICRC's humanitarian and relief work in Syria, Yemen and Iraq. Over the past years, Kuwait has become one of the most important donors to the ICRC.
Since April 12, 1991, the Committee has chaired a tripartite committee including Iraq, Kuwait and the Coalition countries to investigate the fate of persons not identified during the 1990-1991 Gulf War.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) through the regional mission is the first international humanitarian organization to participate in charitable societies in Kuwait through the establishment and organization of the Kuwait International Forum for Humanitarian Work since 2014. (end) akw.ss