Presentation du Navire

Chronology of the Hospital Ship “L’Humanité I”

1995: Discussions with the United Nations in New York on the idea of a hospital ship for the purpose of caring for the sick and the wounded, as a result of armed conflicts or natural disasters, wherever the United Nations operates throughout the world. On January 1995, a working group met under the aegis of Mr. Francesc Vendrell, Director of the Political Affairs of the United Nations. A note on 19 October 1995 of Mr. Alvaro de Soto, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, estimated that such a project would be likely “ to be approved by the Member States”.

9 June 1997: Mr. Bernard Miyet, Assistant- Secretary-General for Peace Keeping Operations, qualified the project of the hospital ship “L’Humanité I” “at the same time generous and admirable idea”.

17 June 1997 at United Nations Headquarters: An official presentation of the hospital ship during the Second General Meeting of the Cercle de Réflexion. Seven countries welcomed the project: Bulgaria, Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, Eritrea, Mali, Morocco, United States of America and Vietnam.

16 April 1998: “Wishes of success” of H.E Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

11 November 1998: An open letter to world public opinion, co-signed by the founders of the Cercle de Réflexion.

Mars and June 1999: Five countries appointed their naval military experts : Benin, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Indonesia and Niger.

14 May 1999: An Agreement of Technical Collaboration with Maritime SUNY College and ELM Group ( New York-USA)

14 May 1999: A visit the hospital ship “USNS Comfort” organized by US Navy at the Port of New York for a delegation of five countries: Algeria, Benin, Guinea, Laos and Lesotho.

25 May 1999: The first meeting of the Safety and Health Commission of the hospital ship “ L’Hunanité I” at United Nations Headquarters with the participation of twelve countries: Australia, Burkina Faso, Croatia, France, Ghana, Guinea, Indonesia, Mauritania, Netherlands, Niger, Ukraine and United States of America as well as the Military Staff Committee of the United Nations. The Commission defined the fundamental options for the hospital ship.

29 June 1999: The Military Staff Committee of the United Nations proposed to establish a plan of action to obtain the approval from the General Assembly of the United Nations on the hospital ship project.

14 September 1999: The General Jean Cot, former Commander-in-Chief of the FORPRONU in ex -Yugoslavia accepted to be Honorary President of the Commission.

January 2000: A visit the French hospital ship “the Lightning” at the Port of Kuwait City. Study on a prospects of cooperating with the French National Marine on technical and logistical matters.

June 2000: The Second meeting of the Safety and Health Commission of the hospital ship “L’Humanité I” at the United Nations Headquarters with the participation of six countries: Algeria, Benin, Russian Federation, Grenade, Lesotho and Monaco as well as the Peace Keeping Operations, the Military Staff Committee of the United Nations and US Navy. The Commission examined the relationship with the United Nations.

12 March 2003: International Conference at “Bristol” in Paris (France) on the topic “a hospital ship for Palestine”, an opening of a co-operation with the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs ( Quai d’Orsay) after considering this issue at the office of the United Nations in Beirut.

15 May 2004: The third meeting of the Safety and Health Commission of the hospital ship at “Bristol” in Paris with the participation of Algeria, Bangladesh and Morocco. Discussions with the Embassy of Morocco in Paris to study the conditions of operation of the hospital ship in this country.

1 November 2004: The fourth meeting of the Safety and Health Commission of the hospital ship at United Nations Headquarters with the participation of five countries: South Africa, Burkina Faso, Congo, Niger and Russian Federation. The commission examined the possibility of converting a ferry into a floating hospital.

2005: Opening of many negotiations with Norvegian Group Line on the resumption of the transatlantic “Norway” in order to convert into a hospital ship.

3 January 2006: A visit the “ Norway” of Swiss ABS technical experts at the port of Bremerhaven in Germany. The report stated the perfect condition to sail after repairing.

February 2006: Many offers of the Cercle de Réflexion were not approved and the “Norway” was demolished in India

17 November 2006: A preliminary report to the United Nations aiming at seizing the General Assembly to solicit the use of its flag.

June 2008: A non official note of the United Nations indicating that the authorization to use its flag is within the power of the Secretary-General H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon.