Publisher’s note
Are humanitarian NGOs doomed to being nothing more than managers of misery? What role can they play in the face of States and multinationals? Can they ignore the effects of an ever more aggressive imperialism? Confronted with these questions, Bertrand Bréqueville, who has over 25 years’ experience in humanitarian work, suggests rethinking the way these organisations act.
First, he reminds us of imperialism’s workings and evolutions in the 20th century. Then he sets out the consequences of this exploitative system that destroys humans and nature, leading to conflicts and civil wars. He casts light on the absence of NGOs in anti-imperial struggles and on their apolitical attitude, which consigns them to simply giving neoliberal globalisation a clear conscience.
To escape this dead-end, the author suggests these organisations should play an active role in antimilitarist movements, should proactively strive for peace, and should work alongside local social movements. Regarding immigration, he suggests they should refuse to accept a supposed contrast between morality and politics by decrying the economic causes that compel migrants to leave their countries.
Bertrand Bréqueville is a Recruitment Manager at Médecins du Monde. He has written many articles on the role of humanitarianism in the face of social and political issues. In 2021, he published the book L’Humanitaire sous l’emprise du néolibéralisme [“Humanitarian aid caught in the grip of neoliberalism”].[1]You can read a review of this book in our periodical: Boris Martin, « La mère des batailles » [“The mother of all battles”], Humanitarian Alternatives, Issue 17, July 2021, … Continue reading
Translated from the French by Thomas Young
