ICRC president and vice-president re-elected

On 19 November at a meeting in Geneva, the supreme governing body of the International Committee of the Red Cross re-elected its president, Peter Maurer, and its vice-president, Christine Beerli, for a new term. Mr Maurer, who took over the presidency from Jakob Kellenberger in July 2012, will now serve in the role until June 2020. At her request, Ms Beerli was re-elected for a two-year term and will therefore serve in the role until December 2017.

In seeking an extension of their mandates, Mr Maurer and Ms Beerli both expressed their strong commitment to the institution, to the people it serves and to its staff, in the face of massive humanitarian crises unfolding around the globe. They signaled their readiness to continue to lead the organization as it implements an ambitious four-year plan aimed at strengthening the response to the needs of people and communities affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence.

The session was chaired by Francois Bugnion, President of the Recruitment Commission. On behalf of the members of the Assembly, Mr. Bugnion congratulated Mr Maurer and Ms Beerli for this renewed vote of confidence in their leadership and expressed sincere recognition for their willingness to go on discharging their heavy responsibilities in a world shaken by conflict and suffering.

The president of the ICRC is the organization's chief diplomat. The president and the vice-president work closely with the Director General to ensure the implementation of the Assembly's decisions.