While the world is facing a major financial crisis that may have serious repercussions on humanitarian aid budgets, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has brought global attention back to the most vulnerable. Today, the organization announced its ambitious plans for 2009 and 2010.

The IFRC estimates its operating needs at 265 million Swiss francs in 2009 (225 million US dollars/ 176 million euro), in order to support member Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in reaching 150 million people in need worldwide.

The IFRC has focused its planning on 'early warning, early action'. This entails proactively using existing knowledge and resources to better identify risks and to act before disasters happen. This community-based, preventive approach not only significantly reduces the number of people affected by natural disasters but also achieves longer-lasting solutions, and reduces levels of spending on costly emergency response. It is estimated that a dollar spent on prevention today saves four dollars on emergency response.

"Early warning and early action brings significant savings and is an effective use of donations," explains Bekele Geleta, IFRC secretary general. "By privileging prevention and by working through our community-based volunteers, we are particularly cost effective. This is why we also urge donors not to cut budgets for humanitarian aid at a time when the number of disasters is increasing, as is their frequency and impact. On the contrary, we invite them to team up with us to invest more in disaster prevention and development, as it is an investment that will yield significant returns," he adds.

One of the most striking examples of how efficient the 'early warning, early action' concept can be is the low number of casualties from the major flooding that affected Mozambique in 2008, proving the value of community-based early warning and of pre-positioned relief stocks.

Another example is an IFRC initiative, launched in 2008, to reduce food insecurity and promote local agriculture in 15 countries in Africa through sustainable farming practices, microfinance projects, and small-scale irrigation techniques among others. These long term projects will make communities more resilient and better equipped to cope with price increases and help avoid future food shortages, such as the ones currently experienced in the Horn of Africa.

While the IFRC will focus on preventive action, it will continue planning for those made vulnerable by poverty, inequality, urbanization, migration, climate change, violence and the spread of disease. For now, that means further strengthening its response capacity, which continues to be needed by an ever growing number of vulnerable people. Recent operations show that in just a few years the time needed to deliver essential relief items has been reduced by 70 per cent while the number of families assisted every day has risen by 25 per cent. "These are very promising figures for us, and our mission to improve the lives of vulnerable people worldwide," concludes Bekele Geleta.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

Pierre Kremer, Head of Communications Department, Tel: +41 792 26 48 32 Jean-Luc Martinage, Media Officer Tel: + 41 22 730 4296 / + 41 79 217 3386 Media Service duty phone Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81