On 11 March 2016 Mr. Elhadj As Sy, Secretary General of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) paid a courtesy call on Mr. Chaisiri Anamarn,  Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, on the occasion of his visit to Bangkok to attend the International Conference on the Implementation of the Health Aspects of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 – 2030 as participant and one of the moderators. The Conference was co-organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) during 10 -11 March 2016.  

On this occasion, the IFRC Secretary General thanked the Thai government for supporting the Red Cross movement’s humanitarian works. He was of the view that the leadership of Thailand has played a very important role in contribution to the success of the Red Cross movement. He also appreciated the Thai Red Cross Society’s active works at both national and international levels, which can be a role model for other countries.

The IFRC Secretary General also thanked the Thai government for co-organizing the said International Conference, which is the first conference focusing on the health aspect of disaster risk reduction, after the Sendai Framework (Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030) was adopted. The IFRC Secretary General emphasized the significance of the health issue, especially the need for proper management, in order to avoid widespread damage such as pandemics of Zika virus infection and Ebola. Relevant agencies and communities also need to strengthen their capacity in disaster preparedness, response and resilience.

The Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs thanked IFRC for supporting Thailand’s disaster responses after the 2004 Tsunami and during the 2011 great flood. Both sides hope to continue to work together in the future.