WHAT IS FAFICS?

The Federation

FAFICS is a Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants. It was founded in 1975 by three associations of former international civil servants, located in Geneva, New York and Rome. Over the years many other associations of former UN system officials have joined the Federation. At its 39th Council session held in London on 8-13 July 2009, FAFICS total membership reached 49 associations, located in all regions of the world, when the Council admitted four new associations, from Malaysia, Mauritius, Somalia and Ukraine.  An Association located in Senegal has applied to become a member and will be admitted as soon as a detail in the Association’s Statutes on internal membership has been revised to meet the criteria for admission into FAFICS. This would bring the number of member associations of FAFICS to 50. Other associations of former international staff, including former local staff, may apply for membership and have their applications reviewed by the 40thh FAFICS Council, which is scheduled to be held at the United Nations Office at Geneva in July 2011. 

The FAFICS Council commemorated its 35th anniversary at the session in London. Congratulatory messages were received from the Chief Executive Officer of the UNJSPF, the President of the UNJSPB, the President of UN Federal Credit Union as well as from former offices Presidents and Officers of the Federation.

The Council and the Officers

The Federation has its seat in Geneva and a liaison office in New York. FAFICS is governed by a Council on which all member associations are represented. The Council meets annually.

The bureau of the Federation is composed of a President, seven Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer, elected for one year by the Council. The 39th session of the Council, held in July 2010, re-elected the following officers:  President Andrés Castellanos del Corral, New York, Treasurer Juan Mateu, Geneva, and Assistant Secretary Lydia Ontal, New York. Two ballots among eight candidates for seven Vice-President positions resulted with the following elections to Vice-President: Katia Chestopalov, Geneva, Switzerland, S. A. Janakiram, Bangalore, India, Mary Johnson, Edgecliff, Australia, Manuel Lafuente, Santiago-de-Chile, Chile, Linda Saputelli, New York, USA, Gerhard Schramek, Vienna, Austria and Tedla Teshome, Addis Ababa. FAFICS Secretary Anders Tholle did not stand for re-election and the Council elected Jayaraman Sundaresan, Geneva, Switzerland, as his successor.

Four former Presidents of FAFICS, Aamir Ali, Margaret Bruce, George Saddler and Witold Zyss are Presidents emeriti. The 37th FAFICS Council awarded Former Vice-President Aurelio Marcucci the title of President emeritus. The Council has also bestowed the title of Vice-President emeritus on Federation’s former Vice-President Eduardo Albertal of Brazil. At the 39th session of the FAFICS Council, the retiring Secretary Anders Tholle, was designated Honorary Secretary.

Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of the Federation shall be to bring together Member Associations of former international civil servants and provide a framework for their activities.

In so doing, the Federation will:

    (a) support and promote the purposes, principles, programmes and achievements of the United Nations system;

    (b) promote and defend the interests of the community of former international civil servants;

    (c) maintain and develop solidarity and close contact between and among Member Associations;

    (d) represent the community of former international civil servants on appropriate organs of the United Nations system and in particular retirees and beneficiaries of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund;

    (e) promote exchanges and coordination with federations of staff members in service and cooperate with other associations and organizations as appropriate;

    (f) support and coordinate the activities of Member Associations, particularly in matters of pensions and health protection.

Relations with the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF)

FAFICS is the official representative of pensioners and beneficiaries of the UNJSPF and, as such, it attends the annual meetings of the UN Joint Staff Pension Board (UNJSPB) with a delegation composed of four representatives and two alternate representatives. FAFICS representatives have all the rights of members, except the right to vote. It can also attend meetings of the Pension Board's Standing Committee, with a smaller delegation. FAFICS maintains close and continuous contact with the Chief Executive Officer of the Pension Fund, Bernard Cochemé and his senior staff. These officials have a half-day working session with the FAFICS Council during its annual session, in the course of which problems and concerns of the world-wide UN retiree community are brought to their attention.

In the Annual Letter dated February 2010 from the Chief Executive Officer and Secretary of the UNJSPF, sent to all the parties of the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund, including retirees and beneficiaries, the Chief Executive Officer described FAFICS and its member associations in the following terms:

"Retirees and beneficiaries should be aware of the valuable information and assistance that can be obtained from the Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants (FAFICS) and its member associations.“

“FAFICS’ main objective is to represent and protect the interests of its member associations, particularly on matters of pensions, health insurance and related questions. At the same time FAFICS remains ready to intervene on any other issue affecting individual and/or groups of pensioners and beneficiaries, and to also assist non-member associations, particularly on matters of pensions, health insurance and related questions. Through the experiences of their respective members, FAFICS member associations serve as knowledgeable sources of information and advice, not only on pension-related matters but also on the laws and other aspects of life in countries around the world. FAFICS continues to act as important “partners” to the Pension Fund secretariat and to the member organizations, through their support and assistance. More specifically, FAFICS and its member associations provide invaluable assistance to retirees and beneficiaries in resolving problems.”

“FAFICS also furnishes general and individual information and advice to current and future retirees on the practical application of the Regulations and Rules of the Fund. With this in mind, you may wish to consider joining the retiree association in your area. It should be noted that particular assistance can be provided in respect to the Fund’s important Certificate of Entitlement process.”

FAFICS representatives continue to participate actively and effectively in the sessions of the Pension Board and its Standing Committee, the work of the Fund’s Audit Committee and it was an active member of the Council’s Working Group on Plan Design during 2008-2010.

After-Service Health Insurance

While the Federation has no representative role in the different organizational health insurances, which are available to retirees under the After-Service Health Insurance scheme, FAFICS provides for exchanges of information and develops the Federation's objectives in the FAFICS Council’s Working Group on After-Service Health Insurance and Long-Term Care (ASHIL). It also participates as an observer in inter-agency meetings of Human Resource Officers on Long-term Care benefits. The Federation's aim is to have these benefits incorporated in all organizational health insurance plans.

Pension benefits and the Pension Adjustment System

FAFICS is constantly engaged in activities to improve and protect the interests of pensioners and beneficiaries of the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund.  Through its Working Group on Pension Issues, the FAFICS Council monitors the Pension Adjustment system and cost-of-living adjustment mechanisms and seeks improvements where this may be found necessary. It has developed and submitted proposals for the improvement of pension benefits for divorced spouses. FAFICS continues to support the just claim for payment of their UNJSPF pensions by retired UN system staffs from the former Soviet Union, the Byelorussian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR, who have been deprived by those Governments, and so far, by their successor states.

Promotion of the Aims and Activities of the UN system

FAFICS is a Non-Governmental Organization accredited to and has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Council and the Department of Public Information. As such it participates in meetings of the two Councils and their subsidiary bodies, Civic Forums and in other events, where the contributions, experience and views of former international civil servants may be useful.

FAFICS is a member of the Conference of NGO's in consultative status with ECOSOC (CONGO). FAFICS also maintains Consultative Status with FICSA, the Federation of International Civil Servants.

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Web page created 2007-12-03 / Last modified 2011-01-17
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