IFRC Asia Pacific Regional Director Alexander Matheou Visits the ICC

Zhang Zhixiang (Left) and Alexander Matheou (Right)

On 18 May 2026, the Asia Pacific Regional Director for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Alexander Matheou, led a delegation to visit the Jianguomen Office of the International Cooperation Center (ICC). Zhang Zhixiang, Member of the Strategic Advisory Committee of the ICC, Chairman of the International Monetary Research Committee and Senior Expert on International Organizations and Multilateral Cooperation, together with Zhang Yu, Convener of the Joint Meeting and Director of the Steering Committee of the ICC, met with Alexander Matheou, and Olga Dzhumaeva, Head of the East Asia Regional Delegation of the IFRC. Both sides hold that the current international and regional landscape is undergoing unprecedented complex changes, with traditional and non-traditional humanitarian crises intertwined, posing severe challenges to the global humanitarian situation. The two sides reached important consensus on stepping up forward-looking research on international crises, jointly advancing political mitigation and resolution of humanitarian crises, and conducting coordinated cooperation on global humanitarian initiatives.

The two sides held a meeting

Both sides stated that the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, and globalization faces historic headwinds. Impacted by a host of old and new factors, profound shifts are taking place in the international political and economic landscape. Given the evolving global and regional dynamics, it has become increasingly urgent to advance global humanitarian endeavors and conduct all-round responses based in the Asia-Pacific region.

Both sides spoke highly of the progress achieved by the ICC and the East Asia Regional Office of the IFRC. They agreed to further deepen close strategic coordination between the two sides, jointly establish platforms for early assessment, emergency response and post-crisis follow-up of regional and international humanitarian crises, moreover, strive to build an exemplary and leading strategic partnership in global humanitarian undertakings. The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on other issues, including the establishment of medium and long-term working mechanisms and strategic coordination, humanitarian crises in South Asia and other regional affairs, as well as the holding of high-level dialogues and thematic meetings.    

Related Link:

Head of East Asia Regional Delegation for IFRC Olga Dzhumaeva Visits the ICC

https://en.icc.org.cn/news/external_exchanges/437.html