strengthening our regions
Friends of the Earth International has grown in numbers over the past decade. We currently have 69 member groups in total: 10 in Africa, 11 in the Asia Pacific, 31 in Europe, 2 in North America and 15 in Latin America and the Caribbean (ATALC). We have 3 official regional structures, in Europe, Africa and ATALC. The Asia Pacific region is preparing a proposal to formalize a regional structure at the FoEI BGM 2008 in Honduras.
In 2007, regional structures discussed their input into FoEI’s overall Strategic Plan at their annual assemblies. They identified which member groups will be engaged in discussions and planning for our different programs, and how to build and strengthen synergies between our activities and campaigns. They identified who would assist in further developing our joint communications strategies. They brainstormed about how to to engage in the plans to build a strong FoEI, and identified representatives who would actively engage in the federations' learning processes and fundraising strategies. Through the regions, FoEI compiled a rich variety of ideas and proposals for how to move forward with our Strategic Plan.
region-by-region
foe europe
FoE Europe was FoEI's first formal regional structure. It was formally established in 1986, and has its coordinating office in Brussels. The region conducts Annual General Meetings to decide on the region’s priorities and elect its Executive Committee. FoE Europe is comprised of the European FoEI member groups, from Austria, Belgium (Brussels), Belgium (Flanders), Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England/Wales and Northern Ireland, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
foe atalc
Formally established in 2002, America Latina y Caribe or ATALC has a rotating coordination in which one group hosts the Secretary General and facilitates discussions within the region. The current Secretary General is hosted by CEIBA/FoE Guatemala. The ATALC region also has a rotating Executive Committee comprised of 5-6 member groups in the region each with a tenure of 2 years. FoE ATALC is comprised of 15 FoEI member groups from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
for africa
FoE Africa is the youngest formal regional structure in the federation. Established in 2006, the Africa region has a rotating coordinating group which is currently hosted by FoE Togo. The Africa region has an Executive Committee called the African Consultative Board that is comprised of 4 groups, including the coordinating group. FoE Africa is comprised of 10 FoEI member groups from Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Togo and Tunisia.
foe asia pacific
The members from the Asia Pacific region are gearing up to propose the establishment of a formal Asia Pacific regional structure at the 2008 BGM. The coordinating structure and operational plans will be presented at this time. The Asia Pacific region is comprised of 11 FoEI member groups from Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and South Korea.
with thanks to our funders: the dutch ministry of foreign affairs, oxfam novib, hivos, the sigrid rausing trust, and the swedish society for nature conservation
