The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC or “the Federation”) is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network. The Federation is a membership organization established by and comprised of its member 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Along with National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Federation is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The overall aim of the IFRC is” to inspire, encourage, facilitate, and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world.”

The Federation is served by a Secretariat based in Geneva, with regional and country offices throughout the world. The Secretariat has five regional offices: Americas (Panama City); Africa (Nairobi); Asia and Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); Middle East and North Africa (Beirut).

The regional office for Europe works in support of 54 Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies (NS). Through its Country Cluster Support Teams and Country Offices, it provides coordination and technical support for disaster relief operations and long-term development programming throughout the region.

The Country Cluster Support Team for Central Asia is based in Almaty and oversees IFRC support to five National Societies: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.