 We all remember where we were on the 19th of August 2003 when we heard of the attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad. I had just landed in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo when a colleague handed over a note that I should call my deputy in Geneva back urgently. And the note said that there had been an attack on the UN headquarters in Baghdad that Sergio Vieira de Mello was seriously injured. An hour later we had the confirmation that he actually had been killed in the attack. Like our colleagues and friends in the United Nations and in Brazil and so many other parts of the world, we were deeply shocked by the brutality of the attack and the extent of the loss of life. Many of the people killed on that day were known to the ICRC and of course Sergio himself was such a close and important partner, colleague and friend in so many of the roles that he fulfilled over the years and in so many of the contexts in which he was operating. His loss was simply something that we could not accept. A few weeks earlier on the 22nd of July 2003 one of the ICRC's staff had been killed in a drive by shooting incident on the roll between Hila and Baghdad. And I travelled to Iraq to review the security situation in an increasingly deteriorating context with the team on the ground. During that trip I met with Sergio Vieira de Mello. We discussed in his office the security situation, the increasing lawlessness and the types of measures that were required to ensure security of the staff. That is a meeting that I have never forgotten. Ten years later the world has not become an easier place for the delivery of humanitarian assistance and for addressing needs in multiple contexts around the world. It is clear from my view however that the reason why we are in these places is precisely because they are difficult. And the commitment to addressing needs of men, women and children affected in armed conflict remains as strong as ever. Of Sergio's many qualities the one I liked most was his positive outlook on life. He was deeply convinced that it is possible even in the most difficult context and situations to influence change, to have an impact and to make a difference for people's lives. He knew the risks, he understood the constraints, but he was never someone to give in to cynicism or disillusionment. There was just too many lives at stake. His absence continues to be incredibly painful and in many ways unbearable. And the best way to honour his memory and his own engagement is to keep our own individual and institutional commitments going. To continue to assist and protect people in environments such as Syria and Afghanistan or Colombia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is likewise our duty to ensure that our staff is protected as well as we can and that we find the appropriate and often difficult balance between the risks we take and the impact we can have for people. We're deeply honoured to be associated to this tribute, to honour the memory of Sergio Vieira de Mello and want to express gratitude to Brazil for its strong and generous commitment to humanitarian affairs. We also want to express renewed solidarity to Sergio's family and friends, to Brazil and to the entire United Nations family on this occasion. 150 years after the ICRC was founded, we also wish to confirm our strongest commitment to the vital struggle for respect of rules on the battlefields of today and tomorrow and support to people in need.