(Seychelles News Agency) - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) will support 47 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in African countries including Seychelles with their COVID-19 roll-out activities through an agreement with the Africa Centre for Disease Control.

The statement was made by the head of the country cluster delegation for the Indian Ocean islands, María Martínez, after meeting with the Seychelles' President Wavel Ramkalawan on Tuesday.

Martínez said that as has been the case in the past years, the agreement will allow the organisation to work with health ministries from the 47 countries.

Martínez said that was satisfied with the support provided so far by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the fight against the COVID pandemic.

"We were able to mobilise resources to support our Red Cross and Red Crescent societies across Africa so they could offer technical assistance in the roll-out vaccination plans of every single country," she added.

She congratulated the Seychelles government and the population for the efforts made toward the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and for having one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.

Martínez however warned that there is a need to remain alert as the pandemic is not over and to continue "with the boosters, social distancing and respecting preventative measures."

The head of the country cluster delegation for the Indian Ocean islands is on her first official visit to Seychelles since she was appointed in January. She will be in Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean from August 8-15 and will be meeting with ministers, staff and members of the national committee of the Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS).  

"Other meetings will be held with ministries to fine-tune the humanitarian support that the Seychelles Red Cross is going to be providing, scaling up its humanitarian activities for 2023," she said.

The RCSS, as a humanitarian organisation, has a very good collaboration and partnership with local government authorities, NGOs and other local partners.

Martínez's visit is expected to further cement the existing collaboration and provide a better insight view of the Seychelles' current needs in addressing humanitarian issues, climate change and food security among others.

Martínez said that in the coming days "there will be a workshop that will bring together regional Red Cross bodies in the Indian Ocean, the Pacific and also from the Caribbean to discuss how to enhance frameworks to support effective and climate-smart disaster risk management."

She said that she is very pleased with the level of commitment made toward climate adaptation and effective disaster risk management in the region.