US humanitarian and businesswoman Kate Forbes was elected president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent on Monday, becoming only the second woman to hold the position.

"Kate Forbes's election as president of the IFRC is a historic moment," the organization said in a statement.

"This milestone underscores the IFRC's continued commitment to diversity and gender equality in its leadership," it added.  

IFRC, which has chapters in 191 countries and counts around 16 million volunteers, said that Forbes's presidency "marks a pivotal shift towards addressing the complexities of the modern world".

"A key area of focus under her leadership will be tackling the urgent issues of climate change and migration," it said, adding that community empowerment and youth engagement were also at the forefront of her agenda.

"Communities around the world are witnessing the impacts of climate change, geopolitical tensions, and health emergencies," Forbes said in the statement.

"Now is the time to lean into our fundamental principles to deliver on our mission and make communities stronger."

Forbes, an auditor by training with four decades of experience within the IFRC network, will replace Francesco Rocca of Italy, who has held the position since 2017.

Rocca was re-elected in December 2022 but in June he said he would step down early due to a conflict of interest linked to his position as head of the right-wing government of the Lazio region encompassing Rome.

IFRC said Forbes was well prepared for taking on the presidency, with her term starting immediately.

She started as a local volunteer at the Phoenix chapter of the American Red Cross, rising to eventually serve as its vice chairman of the board and national chairperson of volunteers, managing more than one million volunteers.

For the past 17 years, she has also served on the IFRC board, it said, adding that she most recently served as chair of the IFRC Audit and Risk Commission 

"In this role, she increased transparency, implemented stronger financial controls, and established safeguarding policies across the organization," the statement said.

"Kate Forbes's election as president is a significant step forward for the IFRC, signaling a new leadership ready to focus on integrity and accountability."