A four-man delegation of the Lesotho Red Cross Society is attending a three-day Southern African Partnership of the Red Cross Societies (SAPRCS) meeting that started in Johannesburg South Africa on Tuesday.

The delegation headed by the President of the society Mrs. 'Makabelo Mosothoane, is made up of the newly appointed Secretary-General, Mr. Teboho Kitleli, the Programmes Director, Mrs. 'Makatleho Mphana and the International Federation's Organisational Development delegate for Lesotho and Swaziland, Mr. Laurean Rugambwa.

LRCS Information and Dissemination Coordinator, Ms Tokoloho Khuts'oane, said the meeting will discuss the status of the Red Cross Crescent Pan African Conference to be held in November 2008 in Johannesburg.

Ms Khuts'ane said it will also address the status of the movement regarding HIV/AIDS, disaster management and capacity building programme in the region as well as the status of the federation in future especially issue of the new operating model, membership services and operational alliances.

She added that the meeting will further discuss issues pertaining to the forthcoming 30th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to be held in Geneva Switzerland from November 26 to 30 this year.

The meeting is attended by states that are party to the Geneva Convention, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Cross Societies which is the host and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

SAPRCS aims to strengthen the collaboration, cooperation and self-determination of national societies in the Southern African region in order to achieve a greater level of self-sustainability, and to maximise the use of regional resources like money, people and information.

Apart from providing feedback and advice by the national societies to the International Federation, the Partners and the ICRC, specifically in Southern Africa on the regional programmes and issues of common interest and concern, SAPRCS also determines priority programmers' needs for the region and to assist in obtaining and supplying the necessary resources towards meeting the objectives of those programmes.

Source: LENA 17/10/2007