Malteser International is an international non-governmentalaid agency for humanitarian aid of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Developed in 2005 from the foreign aid service of Malteser Germany, and having the status of an independent eingetragener Verein since 2013, the agency has more than 50 years of experience in humanitarian relief. It currently implements around 100 projects in over 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The organization has regional headquarters for Europe and the Americas, and its General Secretariat is located in Cologne, Germany. The membership of Malteser International consists of 27 national associations and priories of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, who are responsible for supporting the organization within their jurisdictions.
History
In 1992, the foreign aid department of Malteser Germany combined forces with other relief services of the Sovereign Military Order of Maltaaround the world to form the Emergency Corps of the Order of Malta. ECOM provided relief after natural and man-made disasters, such as the Kosovo War and the 2003 Bam earthquake in Iran. Malteser International was created to replace ECOM as the worldwide relief agency of the Order of Malta, in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean, broadening its mission to include long-term rehabilitation and development programmes. Some of the organisation's most important deployments include:
27 national associations and priories of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta are currently members of Malteser International. Their representatives, together with the board of directors, the secretary-general, the vice secretary-general and the chaplain of Malteser International, form the General Assembly. The Board of Directors consists of the President and up to six Vice-Presidents. The Secretary General manages the operational activities in line with the adopted budget and the strategy of Malteser International.
Policy
Malteser International is committed by its statutes to helping people in all parts of the world without distinction of religion, race or political persuasion. Christian values and the humanitarian principles of impartiality and independence are the foundation of its work. Despite being a Catholic organisation, Malteser International works also in non-Christian countries and therefore employs workers from various religious backgrounds in its projects. The overwhelming majority of Malteser International's more than 980 staff members are local people, while the organization works closely with local partner organisations, including other Order of Malta organizations, both religious and non-religious NGOs, and church structures in its project countries. Malteser International adheres to several internationally recognized codes and standards, such as the "Code of Conduct" and the "Sphere Project".
