THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT

The ISS General Secretariat has been based in Geneva, Switzerland, since 1924. It is a legal entity recognized under Swiss law.

The ISS General Secretariat is in charge of the following collective tasks for the network:

• Guaranteeing the coherence and coordination of network's activities
• Developing and strengthening the operational capacity of network's members
• Coordinating, sustaining, supervising and assessing the functioning of network's activities
• Organizing the communication and knowledge sharing of the organization
• Representing the organization and advocating at an international level.

Its Secretary General (aka CEO) is currently Mr. Jean Ayoub, a senior executive in International and Humanitarian Affairs with more than 30 years of experience in development, emergency management, people and programme management.

NETWORK CONSTITUENTS

The ISS network is composed of 15 Branches, 4 Affiliated Bureaus, and a number of Correspondents active in more than 120 countries, and a General Secretariat. As a result, the organization is represented in more than 140 countries with a broad worldwide impact.

• The Branches are all not-for-profit organizations, legally independent. The following countries benefit from the services of being a National Branch: Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, Philippines, Romania, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Venezuela.
• The Affiliated Bureaus are governmental or non governmental entities linked to ISS by a special agreement aiming to implement one or more activities of the organization. The following countries benefit from the services of an Affiliated Bureau: Israel, New Zealand, Portugal and South Africa.
• Affiliated Bureaus and Branches are members of the International Council of ISS and commit themselves to respect principles of the organization.
• The Correspondents are governmental or non governmental institutions having an agreement with ISS with the purpose of implementing one or several activities of the organization. Correspondents commit themselves to respect the principles of ISS.