Susan Johnson, Director of the National Society and Field Support Division of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), welcomed participants to the Shelter Meeting, and outlined the evolution of the approach of IFRC to shelter following natural disasters, including the recent Indian Ocean tsunami and South East Asia earthquake.
Susan Johnson welcomed the future collaboration between IFRC and Shelter Centre on projects related to transitional settlement and shelter response after natural disasters.
On behalf of IFRC, Susan Johnson formally offered to host the activities of Shelter Centre in Geneva at the IFRC headquarters, emphasising that Shelter Centre Geneva and all of its activities would remain wholly independent.
In addition, Susan Johnson announced that IFRC is establishing a new shelter department at its headquarters.
A discussion followed about the response by IFRC to the invitation by the IASC to take a leading role in the post-disaster emergency shelter cluster.