The IFRC’s Middle East and North Africa regional office works in support of 17 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the region. Through its country cluster support teams and country offices, it provides coordination, financial and technical support for disaster operations and longer term development programmes throughout the region.
Latest news from Middle East and North Africa
Text and photos: Julie Lorenzen, Danish Red Cross His brown eyes look tired – almost absent – and the skin is way too pale. He speaks with a voice that is difficult to hear. Nine-year-old Luai and his mother are visiting a primary health clinic, run by …
Mojtaba Yadegari, a youth member of the Iran Red Crescent Society, has been running for peace since he was nine years old. Lately he ran for 17 consecutive days, throughout Iran’s 31 governorates, covering an amazing 310km. “I really enjoy running and …
Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders in the Mediterranean region have reaffirmed their support for vulnerable migrants along the entire migratory trail, promoted the participation of youth in decision-making, and agreed on strategic actions for climate change adaptation.
23 March 2019, Iraq Red Crescent volunteers joined the local authority and community to rescue passengers from a sinking ferry on the Tigris river in Iraq’s city of Mosul. Nearly 100 people are reported to have died in the accident. Iraq Red Crescent v …
“My dream is to go back to Cox Bazaar and meet the two years old twins, a boy and a girl called Reema, named after me,” said Reema Al-Merekhi, a volunteer with the Qatar Red Crescent who was deployed in 2017 to Bangladesh to assist displaced communitie …
- Regional Director: Sayed Hashem
Country cluster support offices
- North Africa (Tunis): Iliana Mourad
- GCC (Dubai): Mohammed Omer Mukhier (acting)
Country offices:
- Iraq (Baghdad): Farid Aiywar
- Iran (Tehran): Davood Pourkhanali
- Jordan (Amman): Muftah Etwilb
- Lebanon Cristhian Cortez Cadoza
- Libya (Tunis): Stefano Cordella
- Palestine (Ramallah): John Entwistle
- Syria (Damascus): Paula Fitzgerald
- Yemen (Sana’a): Indra Adhikari
Recent press releases
Recent documents
Ongoing crises
Syria crisis
The crisis in Syria has already continued for over six years, and humanitarian needs have continued to grow. With an estimated 13.5 million people in need, Syria has become the defining humanitarian emergency of recent times.
Iraq
Responding to the current humanitarian crisis around Mosul, Iraqi Red Crescent Society has mobilized its human and financial resources and prepared food items that would meet the needs of more than one million displaced people.
Yemen
Decades of unrest and conflict in Yemen have escalated in recent years. Since March 2015, over 3 million Yemenis have been forced to flee their homes, and at least 80 per cent of the population is in need of humanitarian assistance.
Migration: North Africa
The ongoing crises in the Middle East and in some parts of Africa have led to unprecedented displacement. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in MENA are over-burdened as a result of high levels of humanitarian need
Regional support
In the MENA region, the IFRC focuses its efforts on enabling National Societies to better deliver their services to people in need in their countries, and where relevant, to facilitate their partnerships with other National Societies.
Technical assistance and guidance in key areas are provided by the regional team and country/multi-country cluster teams where appropriate. Experts in a broad range of relevant operational and development areas work with National Societies to strengthen their work.