UPDATE - Turkey's Kerem Kinik elected as IFRC vice president

UPDATES WITH KINIK’S COMMENTS DURING PRESS CONFERENCE AND RESULTS OF OTHER ELECTIONS

By Meryem Goktas

ANTALYA, Turkey (AA) - The head of the Turkish Red Crescent, Kerem Kinik, was elected vice president responsible for European region of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Mediterranean city of Antalya on Monday.

Kinik was elected to a four-year term by 116 votes out of 189, while the other candidate, Germany’s Volkmar Schon, got 60 votes.

He will be responsible for 53 countries in the European zone.

"This honor is an honor for us all. It is the honor of our honorific general President Recep Tayyip Erdogan," Kinik told a press conference announcing the election results.

"The Turkish Red Crescent started down a new path together with new solution proposals for humanity," he said.

Kinik stated that this year’s general assembly had the highest participation in the federation’s history.

"There’s a lot of work to be done in the new term of the federation,” he added.

Turkey was “already working in the 'geography of our heart,' and from now on a new platform opened for us. In this sense we will also carry Turkey’s and the Turkish Red Crescent’s approaches to Europe. We will do our best to strengthen this movement and prevent human suffering," he added.

-Changing of the guard

Nearly 1,500 ambassadors from 189 countries voted for a new IFRC president as well as four vice presidents and board members, who will serve the organization for the next four years.

IFRC head Tadateru Konoe was succeeded by Italian candidate Francesco Rocca, who won with 98 votes.

Rocca has served as IFRC vice president and is also head of the Italian Red Cross.

Konoe, head of the Japanese Red Cross Society since 2005, served two terms since 2009 helming the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Candidates from Norway, Jordan, and Sweden had also sought the post.

Senegal’s Abdoul Azize Diallo, running unopposed, was elected vice president responsible for the African continent.

Venezuela’s Miguel Angel Villarroel Sierraalta was elected vice president responsible for the Americas.

Mexico’s Fernando Suinaga Cárdenas had also sought the post.

The Asia Pacific Region vice presidency was won by Chen Zhu of China, who bested Iran's Seyed Amir Mohsen Ziaie Esterabadi.

The federation, which was established in 1919 in Paris, has 190 members. Its objective is to inspire, encourage, facilitate and promote all forms of humanitarian activities by national societies to prevent human suffering, and promote human dignity and peace worldwide.

Turkey’s Red Crescent has been a governing board member of federation since 2005. Turkey joined the International Red Cross-Red Crescent Movement in 1868.

The IFRC’s highest decision-making body is its General Assembly, which convenes every two years and holds elections every four years, and defines its humanitarian aid policies to be realized in subsequent sessions with the participation of national societies of its member countries.

The General Assembly of the seven-day long IFRC global statutory meetings began on Sunday.