This is a letter written by the President of IFRC, Tadateru Konoe, after the outcomes of the 19th Session of the General Assembly of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Sydney, Australia.

The President emphasized the importance on five priority areas:

• First, to build strong National Societies
• Second, to bring the secretariat much closer to the National Societies and to increase its effectiveness and credibility
• Third, to strengthen governance and the leadership of the Governing Board
• Fourth, to maximize Movement coordination by promoting and protecting the sovereignty and dignity of all 189 National Societies and strengthen cooperation with the ICRC in a mutually respectful way
• Fifth, to engage in dynamic humanitarian diplomacy and fundraising.