The director general of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Robert Mardini, announced today that The budget of the organization, with serious financial problems, will be cut by 13% by 2024a year in which it will also have to let go of another 270 employees at its headquarters in Geneva (out of a total of 1,400).
(Also: ‘I’m surprised…’: Daniel Sancho’s father reveals his true status in prison)
“These are inevitable, painful and extremely difficult decisions,” the director of the century-old humanitarian organization founded in 1863 said at a press conference, which already this year had to cut its global workforce by about 1,800 employees (out of a total of 22,700).
(You can read: Colombians can apply for a visa to the US at no cost, check if you meet the requirements)
The budget for next year, despite the growing needs faced by this conflict assistance organization, will be 2.1 billion Swiss francs (2.2 billion euros), compared to 2.4 billion francs (2.5 billion euros) with the which has counted in 2023.
Mardini acknowledged that in the face of these financial difficulties “ICRC delegations will have less capacity to assist those in need, due to staff reductions and smaller operational budgets.”
(Keep reading: India and other countries that decided to change their name: what’s behind it?)
The director general stressed that despite this, the ICRC’s work remains essential, as has been shown this year in operations such as mediation in the exchange of prisoners of war in the Yemen conflict or visits to Russian and Ukrainian soldiers in the hands of the enemy to analyze their conditions of detention.
However, in a context marked by inflation, the decrease in donor contributions and the increase in needs in conflicts, “The organization has already faced a complicated financial year in 2023, which meant job losses and a reduction in the size of operations in various locations”he claimed.
(Also: Will the terrible climate crisis emergencies continue in September in the world?)
Mardini did not want to reveal in which parts of the world the main budget cuts will take place in 2024 and noted that the organization’s teams in each place will analyze possible savings measures.
In recent months, the ICRC has asked the main donor countries for help to resolve these financial difficulties.
In this sense, the Swiss Government recently announced aid of 50 million francs (52 million euros) for the organization, key to the country’s humanitarian and pacifist image.
EFE
#Crisis #Red #Cross #Committee #layoffs #budget #cuts #announced