Dear Friends,

As many of you have heard, Focus on the Global South has been going through a transition. Financial realities have forced us to make some difficult decisions, including a significant cut in our staff size. At the same time we have been able to use this situation to re-examine our work in light of the crisis of international capitalism and related changes that have been occurring in the global economic and political systems, and I believe the result will make us a stronger and more effective member of the global justice movement over the coming years.  As you may have already seen on our website, we are approaching these changes through our new programme, Whose New Asia? Understanding the political, economic, social and ecological challenges of the New Asia; building resistances, alternatives and solidarity.

It is in this atmosphere that I am very excited to announce that Focus on the Global South will be approaching this next stage under the leadership of our new Executive Director, Pablo Solon.  Many of you already know Pablo through his extensive involvement in the global justice movement over the years, including years as a social activist involved in indigenous movements, workers’ unions, student associations, human rights and cultural organizations in his native Bolivia, and more recently as a tireless advocate for the rights of nature as the Bolivian ambassador to the United Nations.

In our new structure, Pablo is  joined in our Bangkok office by our Operations Manager Andrew de Sousa, Finance Officer Nathaporn Meesuay, Administrator Kordet Thinkehkaew, IT and Communications Officer Raffy Simbol, China/East Asia Coordinator Dorothy Grace Guerrero, Thailand/Mekong Coordinator Jacques-chai Chomtongdi and Program Officer Shalmali Guttal.  Our India/South Asia Coordinator Afsar Jafri leads our New Delhi office with Administrative Officer Mansi Sharma and Programme Officer Trisha Argawala.  And our Manila office is lead by Philippines/Southeast Asia Coordinator Clarissa Militante, Program Officers Joseph Purugganan and Mary Ann Manahan, and Administrative Officer Lyn Cacho-dela.For more information about the new members of the staff please visit our staff page.  While many of our former staff have continued on, others who have left the formal staff will continue to be active in the organization’s analysis and activism as Focus Associates.

On behalf of the board of Focus on the Global South, I would like to thank all those who have contributed to our shared successes over the past 17 years, and welcome our continued collaboration in the struggle ahead.

Sincerely,

 

Surichai Wun’Gaeo

Board Chair, Focus on the Global South

Click here to download our Vision 2012 Document.