The Section of Former Officials of the ILO
The Beginnings / History of AAFI-AFICS
The Association of Former International Civil Servants (AAFI-AFICS), Geneva, had its beginnings in 1940 as the Amicale des anciens fonctionnaires du BIT. A sister association of former officials of the League of Nations subsequently merged with the Amicale thereby becoming the first association of former international civil servants. In 1955 the Amicale transformed itself into the Association of Former International Civil Servants (AAFI-AFICS) and opened its membership to retirees from the United Nations Secretariat, other organs within the United Nations, and the Specialized Agencies. Subsequently other associations were formed in New York, Paris and Rome. These associations decided in 1975 to found the Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants (FAFICS).
In 1999 AAFI-AFICS took over the membership of the Nordic Association of Former International Civil Servants (NAFICS) after this Association’s decision to dissolve itself, due to the difficulties it had encountered in maintaining useful contacts with a widespread membership living in five different Nordic countries. As a result, and thanks to a steady increase of new members, AAFI-AFICS has today become the biggest association of former international officials, with more than 3,500 members living in 95 different countries.
The Statutory Aims of the Association
Aticle1. The Association is constituted as a non-profit-making organization, governed by Articles 60 et seq of the Swiss Code of Civil Law, with aim of studying, proposing and taking measures to promote and protect the rights and interests of former international civil servants and their survivors. Its headquarters is in Geneva;
Article 2. In order to achieve this aim, the functions of the Association include the support of the work of the organizations of the United Nations system, the representation of its Members before the appropriate bodies of these organizations, the provision of counsel, the promotion of social and friendly contacts between Members and groups of Members, and the dissemination of information.