Financially, the ICRC is not doing well. 400 million francs must be saved. 1,800 employees have been laid off. Now Mirjana Spulgaric-Eger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, is commenting on this for the first time.
SRF News: How difficult is the situation at the ICRC at the moment?
Mirjana Spoleric-Eger: Above all, it is a difficult situation for our affected employees. We have taken supportive measures. We accompany our colleagues and make sure the impact on families is as small as possible.
Work continues in the field. Regardless of whether the money is in the banks. How do they do it?
It’s a daily weigh-in. We must align our entire system with it.
We have to prioritize where we can intervene, and where we can help.
And we have to make sure that we can manage with the liquidity that we have. We need to prioritize where we can intervene, where we can and cannot help.
They are currently in talks with major donor countries. How do you go about it?
At the government level, I explain the current situation. Together with our partners, we see how they can support us.
We will direct the operational focus to the field.
This is the only way we can bridge the financial situation, which is very tight at the moment. At the same time, we are talking about the new strategy of the ICRC and the fact that we will put our practical focus on the field.
Switzerland is one of the main donor countries. What do you expect from her?
Discussions are taking place at all levels. Switzerland knows the ICRC very well, and the ICRC knows Switzerland.
It is not about mutual expectations.
These are very open and constructive discussions. It is not about mutual expectations. It’s about the best possible solution.
They had planned a budget of 2.8 billion. You had to cut that – 400 million are missing. In this case, do you hope for greater financial support from Switzerland?
Exactly, 400 million are missing. That is why I am asking the largest donor countries, including Switzerland, to increase their contributions. We also have to predict financial bottlenecks for the coming year.
What reforms have you initiated to reorganize the ICRC in the board room?
We are currently reviewing the most important management structures. With this in mind, we figure out how to ensure the financial and operational sustainability of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Will they be able to stabilize the financial system with planned savings?
We will address the long-term stability of our financial system. This means that we will check all programs to see if we can maintain them. At the same time, we will increase our operational focus.
We will continue to work to uphold international law.
We will actively work in those areas and areas of conflict where we can add value. We will continue to protect the rights of civilians in conflict zones and we will cross conflict lines so that we can help both sides. We will work to uphold international law.
Interviewed by Natasha Schoen.
“Typical entrepreneur. Lifelong beer expert. Hipster-friendly internet buff. Analyst. Social media enthusiast.”
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