The 27th International Conference

The 29th Conference has been convened for June 20-21, 2006 with the purpose

• to consider and adopt amendments to the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consequent upon the adoption on 8 December 2005 of the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem (Protocol III);
• to consider and decide upon the proposed name of ?red crystal? for the distinctive emblem of Protocol III; and
• to create a framework for the recognition and admission of the Palestine Red Crescent Society.

In view of the limited scope and purpose of this Conference, as described above, the Standing Commission decided to defer all other business to the 30th Conference, which will take place in November 2007 as decided by the 28th International Conference.

The need to convene the 29th International Conference for June 20-21, 2006 arose with the adoption in December 2005 of the Additional Protocol III, which brought about the requirement to amend the Statutes of the Movement to bring them into line with the additional protocol.

According to Article 10, paragraph 3 of the Statutes of the Movement, the International Conference has ?the sole competence

a) to amend the present Statutes and the Rules of Procedure of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (hereinafter called ?Rules of Procedure?);

b) to take, at the request of any of its members, the final decision on any difference of opinion as to the interpretation and application of these Statutes and Rules.?

The Standing Commission expressed as its aim and objective when it decided on the draft provisional agenda of the 29th Conference, that the tasks outlined above be completed by consensus as has been the tradition at International Conferences.

The adoption by consensus of a resolution accepting the proposed amendments to the Statutes and the name for the Protocol III emblem ? red crystal ? and calling for the recognition and admission of the PRCS would strengthen the expression of will by the States Parties at the Diplomatic Conference.

However, it is not within the competence of the Conference to decide on the recognition and admission of specific National Societies, which are the responsibilities of the ICRC and the International Federation respectively. The task of the RC/RC Conference is solely to finish on the internal Movement level what has been decided on the international level by States Parties at the Diplomatic Conference, i.e. to adapt the Movement statutes to the new international legal situation with the creation of an additional emblem.

The Conference will hear reports by the Swiss Government on progress in the implementation of the Magen David Adom ? Palestine Red Crescent Memorandum of Understanding and of the Agreement on Operational Arrangements and by the Standing Commission on the follow-up to Resolution 3 on the emblem of the 28th Conference, held in 2003 in Geneva.

The Council of Delegates, comprising all Red Cross/Red Crescent components but excluding States Parties, met on 19 June to adopt the provisional agenda of the 29th Conference and to propose officers for the Conference.

The Standing Commission proposed to the Council of Delegates that H.E. Dr Mohammed Al-Hadid, Chairman of the Standing Commission, chair the 29th Conference and that Ambassador Juan Martabit of Chile, Ambassador Wegger Chr. Strommen of Norway and ? representing National Societies ? Ms Mandisa Kalako Williams, President of South African Red Cross and Senator Richard Gordon, Chairman of the Philippines Red Cross be elected vice chairs.

The Commission has established a group of ?Friends of the Chair? comprising at the outset 23 Permanent Representatives of States Party in Geneva to advise it in the preparations for the Conference. The first meeting of the ?Friends? was scheduled for April 12.

The General Assembly of the International Federation, comprising all 183 National Societies, met immediately after the 29th Conference to take action as a follow-up to decisions of the International Conference, including the admission of new members.