The news of for family-related reasons came in February 2022. Nearly eight months later, and three months after his actual leave, a new director general has taken over the position. Kauffmann has previous experience in leading an NGO, having been the head of ECPAT Luxembourg--an association fighting against the sexual exploitation of children--for thirteen years and eight months.

Holding a degree in Economics from the Louis Pasteur University in Strasbourg and a PhD in Anthropology from Oxford University, Kauffmann “wishes to defend [the values of MSF] at a time when humanitarian challenges are becoming increasingly numerous,” a press release published on 22 September by the NGO reads.

Kauffmann, according to the statement, wishes to underline not only MSF’s capacity for innovation, but also the importance of solidarity at a time where anyone’s situation--including that of people in first world countries--can change at the drop of a hat. “I mean, those who assist others may one day need assistance, and this applies to all of us. The idea that one day we will personally experience a critical situation no longer seems unlikely,” the new director says.

Starting his new function on 15 September, Kauffmann said that “the instability that surrounds us must not paralyse us; on the contrary, it requires action, based on solid actors who are independent of any influence,” adding that: “The MSF movement is one of them, known and recognised, and I am happy to join it today to raise awareness and to deal with emergencies.”