Geneva: ICRC strengthens financial support to the Alliance for Investment in National Companies

2024-12-18 08:19:00

This body is a fund for the development of National Societies jointly managed by the ICRC and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation), and whose aim is to contribute to the sustainable development of National Societies in fragile contexts qualities that allow the implementation of institutional transformation projects. Thanks to this injection of resources, the Alliance will be able to continue to offer medium and long-term financing to the national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and, in this way, strengthen their institutional capacities and expand their possibilities for preparedness, response, resource mobilization and coordination. This will help them improve the quality of their programs and services for affected communities and thus better position themselves as central humanitarian actors at the local level. Ultimately, this will lead to more resilient and sustainable humanitarian action.

This investment in the Alliance is how the ICRC is fulfilling its 2016 World Humanitarian Summit Grand Compact promise to expand its support to local organizations. It also represents a significant step forward in the implementation of Resolution 4 of the XXXIV International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which recognizes the central role of local actors and calls for “more sustained investments in national intervention systems and basic services”. [que] “They will contribute to the creation of stronger partnerships between local and international actors.”

“We are thrilled to contribute to the successful work of the National Society Investment Alliance in strengthening the preparedness and resilience of national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,” said Olivier Ray, Director of the Department of Mobilization, Movement and Associations. “Our investment aims to strengthen national companies and encourage community-led transformations. “We believe that equipping our key partners with the tools they need allows us to help communities build resilience to shocks.”

This is an innovative fund, unique in the humanitarian sector. The National Society Investment Alliance, established in 2018 following the World Humanitarian Summit, has proven effective in pooling resources and allocating them to national societies, which are responsible for formulating, presenting and implementing their projects independently and on a to your priorities. In this way, the Alliance’s funds find the most meaningful use. Since 2019, 13 of the 15 highest risk countries have received funding from the Alliance, with a total of CHF 17 million invested in 78 initiatives. In 2024 alone, financial assistance was provided to 13 National Societies.

For National Societies to provide effective assistance to vulnerable people in times of crisis, they must improve their long-term operational capabilities. Of course they must have sufficient resources and staff, but it is also important to accompany them in their growth as an organization. One way to do this is to support them in undertaking innovative business ventures that can lead to profound humanitarian action and systemic transformation.