MSF Sections
Médecins Sans Frontières has offices in 19 countries. There are five 'operational centres' which directly control field projects, decide when, where, and what aid is necessary and when to end a programme. These centres are based in Belgium, France, Holland, Spain and Switzerland.
The remaining 13 offices are 'non-operational sections', whose primary functions are to recruit volunteers, raise funds and advocate on behalf of populations in danger. These offices are located in Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the U.S.
MSF has four other main offices: the international office in Geneva, UN Liason Offices in Geneva and New York City and an office in the United Arab Emirates. MSF is also establishing itself in Ireland, South Africa and Brazil.
Three specialized public-health centres called Epicentre, Aedes and HealthNet work with MSF to help expand expertise in specialist medical issues.
MSF International President, Dr Christophe Fournier, speaking at a press conference, 2004
Photo by Andrea Bussotti/MSF
International Council
MSF is run and managed by experienced people who have worked in overseas projects and feel passionately about MSF’s work. The International Council in Geneva is the focal point for the 19 MSF offices and is where important joint decisions are made. This council is headed by Dr Christophe Fournier, a doctor who has dedicated the past ten years of his life to MSF’s work. Since leaving his job as a GP in France in 1997, he has run MSF projects in Africa and Central and South America. As International President of MSF he spends much of his time on the ground with MSF teams, developing a deeper understanding of both the problems these teams encounter and their successes.
MSF Association
Many volunteers, on returning from assignment, become members of the ‘MSF Association’ in their home country. These returned volunteers are often professionals who are going back into busy jobs and lives, but who feel strongly enough to give up their time to support MSF. MSF UK is a UK-registered charity and it is the Association that votes on important policy matters. Each of the 19 main offices of MSF has a similar system, and these Associations have ultimate say in a variety of decisions, from governance and finance to where MSF works. Because the people making these decisions have worked with MSF overseas, the organisation's work remains focused on the core principles of providing medical humanitarian care.