Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Luxembourg is entering a new chapter. At its general meeting on 9 May, the Luxembourg branch of the NGO elected two new members to its board of directors: surgeon Peter Firmenich and Sophie Lambert Evans. This is a strategic boost for an organisation that is set to celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2026 and which holds a unique position within the international MSF movement.
These new additions strengthen an already dedicated team, consisting of Dr. Engy Ali, Dr. Vic Arendt, Jovana Arsenijovic, Dr. Myriam Sommi, Veerle Hermans, Dr. Rony Zachariah, and Dr. Christophe Walentin. The board of directors also reaffirmed its confidence in Dr Engy Ali, who has served as president for the past two years and has been reappointed to lead MSF Luxembourg for another term. At a time when humanitarian NGOs must defend both their legitimacy and their funding, Peter Firmenich emphasises the central role of communication and local roots. “MSF is truly part of my life,” says the surgeon, who has been involved with the organisation for nearly 30 years.
Sophie Lambert Evans shares this same commitment, speaking of “25 years of dedication to the missions and work of the MSF movement”. The new board member hopes to help raise public awareness of the organisation’s work and to champion “human rights and humanitarian action”. The Luxembourg branch of MSF remains modest in size, but its influence extends far beyond the borders of the Grand Duchy. With 43 staff members, over 22,000 active donors and around 50 volunteers, it funds international operations, supervises volunteers deployed in the field and conducts operational research to improve the NGO’s interventions worldwide. Three board members are also stepping down: Carine Lilliu, Eslam Moustafa and Seydou Togo.
