In a strategic move to adapt to shrinking funding for peacebuilding and humanitarian work, the Kofi Annan Foundation and Interpeace have announced a partnership that will see them share office space and merge certain operations. This collaboration is driven by the need to reduce costs while maintaining the effectiveness of their mission in a changing financial landscape. The initiative comes amid declining global funding for peacebuilding efforts, worsened by cuts in U.S. aid and a retreat of other Western donors.
The transition, which will be supported by a CHF 1.6 million grant from the Foundation for the Adaptation of International Geneva (FAGI), is designed to enhance operational efficiency. The grant will be spread over four years, supporting the joint activities of the two organisations. Corinne Momal-Vanian, Executive Director of the Kofi Annan Foundation, explained that the alliance aims to combine Interpeace’s community-level peacebuilding expertise with the Kofi Annan Foundation’s focus on anticipatory analysis, high-level political engagement, and advocacy. Key areas of collaboration will include youth and security, violence prevention, food security in conflict zones, and mental health support for war-affected populations.
In the early autumn, the Kofi Annan Foundation will move its offices from the Varambé neighbourhood to Interpeace’s headquarters in the Maison de la Paix. Although the two organisations will maintain separate governance structures, they will work together on back-office functions, aiming for administrative savings of 10-20% within four years. This cost reduction will come from sharing resources such as rent and support functions, allowing them to focus more on their mission.
This partnership forms part of a broader effort to strengthen international peace efforts in Geneva. The FAGI Foundation, which has supported multiple initiatives in the region, awarded CHF 17.6 million to various projects in its first year, with plans to disburse CHF 50 million over the next five years. The Kofi Annan Foundation and Interpeace’s collaboration is part of this larger effort to reinforce Geneva’s role as a key hub for international peacebuilding and diplomacy.
