Alliance Sud, the working group of Swiss aid organizations, is growing. terre des hommes schweiz, which has been involved in this Swiss development policy think tank for over ten years, is delighted about this. "Switzerland needs to be development-friendly," says Franziska Lauper, executive director at terre des hommes schweiz. "More than ever, we need a strong development voice in Switzerland." - Alliance Sud media release.
With new members, a new Managing Director and a new Chairman's Office, the 50-year history of Alliance Sud a new era is dawning. In the face of growing inequality and a civil society that is coming under increasing pressure worldwide, a strong development policy voice in Switzerland is more important than ever.
Voice of the global South
"We are delighted that two new members, Solidar Suisse and Terre des hommes, will be fully supporting our joint development policy work," says Markus Allemann, President of Alliance Sud and Managing Director of Swissaid. "We are thus intensifying coordination between the most important development organizations and strengthening the voice of the global South in Swiss politics."
Following the merger of Heks and Bread for All at the beginning of the year, the member organizations of Alliance Sud are now Swissaid, Fastenaktion, Helvetas, Caritas, Heks, Solidar Suisse and Terre des hommes. The Swiss Red Cross is also an associate member of the Bern-based association.
New Managing Director at Alliance Sud
The new Managing Director, Andreas Missbach, will also set new priorities and use his many years of experience to drive the development of the organization: "Alliance Sud is much more than a lobby organization or an interest group: we are a center of excellence for international cooperation issues and are committed to ensuring that Switzerland becomes globally sustainable. Without an economy that respects ecosystems and protects the climate system, there is no world in which we can live; without global justice, there is no world in which we want to live".
About Alliance Sud
Alliance Sud represents its member organizations in parliament and vis-à-vis the federal administration. Media representatives will find competent experts at Alliance Sud who can provide well-founded and differentiated information on topics such as sustainable development, international tax and financial policy, trade and climate policy and corporate responsibility. With its magazine "global", Alliance Sud provides background information and analyses on Swiss foreign and development policy.
Picture above: On 26 May 2008, non-profit organizations in Bern hand over the petition "0.7% - Together against poverty" with 201,679 signatures to the federal authorities. The petition demands a stronger commitment from Switzerland to the UN Millennium Development Goals and an increase in development aid to 0.7 percent of gross national income. Photo zVg Alliance Sud
