Red Cross president completes 1st official visit to Türkiye

GENEVA

The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, concluded her first official visit to Türkiye on Tuesday, following trips to Lebanon and Syria, the ICRC said on Wednesday.

The visit to Ankara highlighted the vital role of humanitarian assistance and international humanitarian law in alleviating suffering in conflict zones worldwide, the committee said in a statement.

It added that Spoljaric held meetings with officials from Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Red Crescent (Kizilay) during her time in Ankara.

"I look forward to a new chapter of collaboration between the ICRC and Türkiye," she said in the statement. "With so many conflicts taking a devastating toll on civilians around the world, Türkiye has long played a critical role in alleviating suffering and advancing respect for international humanitarian law."

"The strong partnership with Kizilay is vital in these efforts, and I look forward to deepening this cooperation further" she added.