The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) West Coast Regional Representation (WCRR) established in 2011 in Abidjan covers seven National Societies of Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria Sierra Leone and Togo. The regional office is established to coordinate and provide technical support to the developments of National Societies (NS) programmes, institutional capacity that will maximise the Red Cross impact in the region. Through this long-term planning framework, the technical assistance approach is aligned to the strategic objectives of the IFRC Strategy 2020. It guides the Red Cross response to the humanitarian challenges faced by the region, thus contributing to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, whilst being auxiliary to the local authorities in responding to the needs of the vulnerable people in their countries.
Like most regions in Africa, the West Coast is prone to the effects of climate change; thus is prone to floods, drought, rainstorm and strong winds the consequences of which are epidemics, food insecurity, lack of clean water and sanitation facilities among other scourges. This situation of great exposure to natural risks is compounded by deep socio-political instability that translates into chronic insecurity leading to repeatedly displacement of populations. Among the displaced are the most vulnerable groups of children, women, disabled and the elderly.
The West Coast NS in response focus on disaster response, risk reduction, promoting community-based health and strengthening the coping capacity of the vulnerable communities. Their programmes are designed based on the needs and the available resources, hence the establishment of the WCRR to support resource mobilisation initiatives. The WCRR therefore envisages enhancing its internal capacity by building a team capable of providing technical support tailored to the needs of each NS. The strategic approach is to position an operations coordinator, health and care coordinator, planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER) manager and technical focal points for resource mobilisation, organizational development and finance management at the Regional Representation office. In addition, organisational development support will be provided in-country in needy countries such as Liberia and Nigeria. The technical support team will work with national counterparts developing their capacity to ensure sustainability and to work towards promoting and valuing the national and regional capacities. This approach will be conceived according to a business approach around the flagship programmes of each national society whose successes will be highlighted and scaled up.
