Alain Boinet

Founder and honorary member
Alain BOINET

Alain Boinet is the founder of SOLIDARITÉS INTERNATIONAL. He has been involved in humanitarian work since 1980. Over the past 35 years he has carried out a large number of humanitarian missions, from Afghanistan to Darfur, from The Balkans to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from emergency response to reconstruction projects.

For Alain, humanitarian work is a calling. This means helping threatened individuals, families and communities, whatever it takes, by meeting their basic needs: water, food and shelter, whilst maintaining respect for their dignity and identity. It means supporting these populations from the emergency phase through to the reconstruction phase, and helping them to regain their independence once the immediate crisis is over. Efficiency is the key driver to success and entails equipping people with essential expertise, tools, practices and organisational skills based on humanitarian values, principles and practices.

One of Alain’s roles is spokesperson for the organization. He brings humanitarian work to the attention of decision makers and the media, encouraging debate on a global platform. At the request of Bernard Kouchner, then French Minister for Foreign Affairs, he and Benoit Miribel wrote a report entitled “Assessment and recommendations for emergency and post-emergency humanitarian action”, seeking to contribute towards improving the provision of humanitarian relief. Since 2005 he has been the driving force behind the organization’s campaign for access to safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, and against unclean water which is a leading cause of world mortality. In March 2012, the impact of this campaigning was evident during the 6th World Water Forum in Marseille. Alain is currently writing a book explaining and appraising humanitarian relief work.

© Audray Saulem