Some Feedback on Crisis Group

• In January 2008, Crisis Group was listed as one of the “Top 10 Think Tanks in the World” in a peer-review survey conducted over 18 months by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute. In the January 2009 survey, Crisis Group again featured strongly, and was ranked first under "Best use of the Media (Print or Electronic) to Communicate Programs and Research".

• "In the most troubled corners of the world, Crisis Group has been the eyes, the ears, and the conscience of the global community. Its mix of field-based analysis, well-reasoned policy recommendations, and high-level advocacy is a winning combination."  
  William J. Clinton, former President of the United States, 5 March 2007

• “The main value as far as I'm concerned with the Crisis Group is that they have rightly put the emphasis on prevention, put the emphasis on responsibility to protect and that is absolutely vital. … It's very necessary to have people who are experts, who have very good context and who speak truth to power, who actually see the situation as it is not the spinning that goes on of how a government or even an opposition may want to have it characterised.”
  Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, April 2008

• “For anyone interested in our planet, the publications of ICG are indispensable.”
  Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, France, April 2008

• "The Brussels-based International Crisis Group finds time to devote to each crisis, large or small - and readers tunnelling through its dense analysis always emerge better informed. It blew the whistle on Darfur, East Timor and northern Uganda before those conflicts erupted. […] Even more impressive, though, is its coverage of forgotten lands […] When the world's gaze moves on, Crisis Group stays, to monitor the unfinished business conflict leaves behind. […] The body has grown to a full-time staff of 130 covering 60 countries or conflicts. That exceeds the foreign staff of all but the largest news-gathering operations. Long may it continue to thrive."
  Editorial, The Guardian, March 2009 (read the full text here)

• “Thanks to its distinguished trustees and experts, the International Crisis Group has in the span of one decade become a widely respected and influential organisation for promoting conflict prevention and resolution.  We greatly appreciate the work the International Crisis Group does in the Balkans, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America to make the world a better place.”
  Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State (2005–2008), April 2008 

• “Crisis Group gives me a resource, which can probably match most foreign ministries in all but the very largest countries. And I think that's an invaluable resource. And it's an independent one. So yes, I pay a very great deal of attention to it. And it has altered my opinions on things as well. There are many think tanks. There are many commenting organizations. I think it would be fair to say that Crisis Group probably has the best reputation of any of those advisory independent bodies. And I would suspect that it's probably one of two or three of the most important of those that will have an influence on government. But Crisis Group, I think, was always very international. Crisis Group was always regarded as being the heavyweight contribution, the one you really had to read.” 
  Lord (Paddy) Ashdown, Former High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, April 2008

• “I think the Crisis Group is really providing the international community with a public good, something that will not be delivered spontaneously by the political or by the economic market. I think what we have seen over time is a vacuum in the provision of this public good. And I think the Crisis Group has come to fill that empty space, that necessity that was not being addressed as it should have been.”
  Ernesto Zedillo, Former President of Mexico, April 2008

• “We should all be thankful that we have an organisation like Crisis Group that contributes to peace and security in helping to resolve conflicts, to ring the alarm bells of the international community, and to be a mirror for the conscience of the world.” 
  Colin L. Powell, U.S. Secretary of State (2001–2005), April 2008

• “International Crisis Group is a full-service conflict prevention organisation.  It combines essential and objective analysis, promotion of constructive dialogue, and presentation of innovative ideas.  Its hands-on approach, reflected in a wide network of relationships in the Balkans, the Middle East, and beyond, is essential to keep policymakers focused on securing and consolidating peace.”  
  Madeleine K. Albright, U.S. Secretary of State (1997–2001), April 2008

• “During my time as Deputy Secretary I don't think I ever failed to have Crisis Group in whenever they were in Washington because I needed another set of eyes on the target, and they gave it to me. I don't think there's any other group globally that has the global presence — the global reach — that it has. Crisis Group forced me to get out of my usual thought patterns, to get out of my usual comfort zone … listening to a new set of voices and seeing through a new set of eyes.”
  Richard Armitage, Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, April 2008

• “Crisis Group was a brilliant idea, and it was beautifully implemented … It's been a tremendous contributor to the common good. Crisis Group produces some extraordinary reports like CrisisWatch.  These reports are better than anything I saw in the government.”
  Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, April 2008

• “The only way to proceed right now is to follow the International Crisis Group's advice – utilise this time to assess if ‘genuine and substantial’ progress is being made in stopping the Darfur violence.”
  Editorial, Indian Express, July 2008

•  “I read research reports all the time for my job. Crisis Group is as good as research gets: the reports are rich in relevant facts, they lay out different perspectives in a thoughfully balanced way and they articulate conclusions that are supported tightly by the analysis.”
  Jean Manas, Investment banker, New York, 2008

• “I found Crisis Group’s latest report an invaluable aid in better understanding the situation in Burma/Myanmar.”
  James Moran, Asia Director, External Relations, European Commission, February 2008

• "As ever [your new Iraq report is] a masterful piece of research, analysis and writing. I don't know what I'd do without Crisis Group's legwork, expertise and insights."
  Rob Watson, BBC Defence and Security Correspondent, February 2008

• "J'apprécie particulièrement les rapports de Crisis Group pour la pertinence de leurs analyses construites à partir de données solides. On est loin des spéculations politico-intellectuelles."
  Yves Marc Ajchenbaum, Opinion editor, Le Monde (2005-2007), February 2008

• "Crisis Group is quick, flexible and pragmatic – in a class of its own among NGOs."
  Lord Malloch-Brown, UK Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, January 2008

• “The International Crisis Group has a remarkable team of experts and analysts around the world, seeking to understand and explain some of the most intractable conflicts, and where possible to propose serious and sensible ways in which they can be alleviated. The group provides an invaluable service: in a media world of instant and superficial judgements, its reports provide an essential dose of detailed analysis and hard-nosed realism.”
  Quentin Peel, International Affairs Editor, Financial Times, January 2008

• “No other organisation touches the quality and quantity of Crisis Group’s work.”
  Leslie Gelb, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, December 2007

• “I support the important work of the International Crisis Group.”
  Dr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia, August 2007

• “The best b… NGO in the world’
  Michael Meyer, European Editor of Newsweek, Davos, 27 January 2007

• "Crisis Group's hallmark is injecting hard facts, innovative prescriptions and fresh thinking into complex national and international debates."
  Ernesto Zedillo, Former President of Mexico, August 2007

• "The International Crisis Group has, without a doubt, become one of the most important centres of analysis of international affairs and an indispensible source of information for governments and a wide range of institutions actively working towards peace and conflict resolution."
  Miguel Ángel Moratinos, Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, June 2007

• "Norwegian state television NRK, which has often correctly guessed the winner, said late Thursday that former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans could be a laureate for mediating a 1991 Cambodian peace accord, and acting as head of a special U.N. panel on genocide."
  AP, 13 October 2006

• "The Chinese dissident Rebiya Kadeer fits all those criteria. She has been championing the rights of Western China's Uighur ethnic group and is one of China's most prominent advocates of women's rights. The International Crisis Group, an NGO working in the field and on diplomatic level to resolve conflicts around the world, has been pointed out as a possible candidate too, along with its leader, the former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans." 
  BBC News, 13 October 2006

• "OSLO: International peace brokers such as Finland’s Martti Ahtisaari or former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans of Australia may win the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, Norwegian television news said on Thursdsay… National broadcaster NRK’s veteran reporter Geir Helljesen, who has often named the winner among his tips on the eve of the prize, noted that former president Ahtisaari was a bookmaker’s favorite… "Another possible candidate could be the former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, who among other things has played a central role in the construction of Cambodia…", Helljesen said. Evans heads the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, a think-tank which conducts research and works to prevent conflicts. He was an architect of a 1991 peace accord for Cambodia, and foreign minister of Australia in 1988-1996."
  Reuters, 12 October 2006

• "Former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari, who brokered a peace deal in Aceh last year, is seen as a top contender for the Nobel Peace Prize to be announced on Friday… Other favorites for the prestigious award include the non-governmental organisation Crisis Group, Chinese exile Rebiya Kadeer, and the two parties in the Aceh peace process…"
  AFP, 11 October 2006

• "…The award could also go to an institution doing applied research on peace and war, such as the International Crisis Group in Brussels, which works with governments to prevent and resolve armed conflict, said Sverre Lodgaard, director of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and a deputy member of the peace prize committee…"
  Bloomberg, 10 October 2006

• "I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your material. The latest report on Somalia is typical of your work: timely, authoritative and well researched. It is an essential source in my work."
  Martin Plaut, Africa Editor, BBC World Service News, 11 August 2006

• "[You have an] excellent team. Reading your analyses and reports helps me a great deal in my work."
  Thomas Seifert, International Desk, Die Presse, Austria, 11 August 2006

• "The International Crisis Group has produced some superb work over the past year or so, simply the best around."
  David Gardner, International Affairs Writer, Financial Times, 4 August 2006

• "I was very impressed by the ICG proposals..."
  Gernot Erler, German Deputy Foreign Minister, 28 March 2006 regarding Crisis Group's report, "Iran: Is There a Way Out of the Nuclear Impasse?", 23 February 2006

• "As always, your insights are invaluable, and I am convinced this publication shows the type of creative thinking that will be needed as we seek to move forward on the Iranian issue."
  Mohamed El Baradei, Director General, International Atomic Energy Agency, 13 March 2006

• "I found your report on Jihadists and Islamists in Jordan superb… What I love, among other things, about the ICG reports are their footnotes: they’re often like gold dust."
  Xan Smiley, Middle East and Africa editor, The Economist, 17 January 2006

• "As a foreign minister of a country which is paying great attention to the situations in the Western Balkans and in the Eastern European neighbourhood and as someone who values a thorough and comprehensive research, I very much appreciate the effort of Crisis Group’s around the world."
  Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, December 2005

• "I am pleased to congratulate the International Crisis Group on the tenth anniversary of its establishment. Thanks to its distinguished trustees and experts the International Crisis Group has in the span of one decade become a widely respected and influential organisation for promoting conflict prevention and resolution. We greatly appreciate the work the International Crisis Group does in the Balkans, Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America to make the world a better place. I salute the goals and accomplishments of the International Crisis Group and wish it further success as it enters its second decade."
  Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Secretary of State, 28 November 2005

• "The very impressive work that you and your team have carried out over the last decade has allowed the Crisis Group to become a highly influential and inspiring voice in the field of conflict prevention... At a working level, the Commission's desk officers, staff in EC Delegations and those working on areas related to conflict prevention also benefit greatly from your work. Your country and regional reports and the monthly Crisis Watch have become documents of reference."
  Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, 9 June 2005

• "Crisis Group papers are great because they are current, have the approach of a well informed but independent adviser, and offer some feasible options for a response to the situation. Plus they are on the net and accessible to everyone with a computer."
  John Angley, Assistant Secretary, Department of Finance, Australia, 26 May 2005

• "[Your Southern Thailand report] continues the ICG reputation for the absolute best stuff on Islam in SEA (and also elsewhere)."
  Bill Paterson, Australian Ambassador to Thailand, 26 May 2005

• "The Crisis Group has come a long way in a short space of time. That can be squarely attributed to the prominent and high calibre people (you have) attracted in support of the organisation, and the total professionalism and quality of the contributions made, which have found a ready niche market."
  Don McKinnon, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Secretariat, 5 May 2005

• "I should like to take this opportunity to congratulate the International Crisis Group on the valuable work it has undertaken over the last decade… [Y]our reports and our consultations have always been a valuable source of information for us."
  Terry Davis, Secretary General, Council of Europe, 4 May 2005

• "The tenth anniversary of the International Crisis Group’s founding is indeed an opportunity for me to express my great appreciation for the Crisis Group’s remarkable efforts and its significant role throughout these past ten years… The International Crisis Group’s mark has been acknowledged by many governments and civil society organisations and its proposals to prevent and resolve deadly conflicts worldwide have been extremely perceptive."
  Wahib El Miniawy, Ambassador and Board Member, Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, 25 April 2005

• "I have just spent the last eight years of my life as an American diplomat in Europe, the last four of which were in Brussels... I developed a real appreciation for what the International Crisis Group stands for and what it does around the world... It's very important for us to have the injection of ideas and creativity from the nongovernmental sector and we get that from your group."
  R. Nicholas Burns, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, 1 April 2005
  The full text of the remarks by R. Nicholas Burns can be found here.

• "I consider your involvement an asset that can provide fresh and innovative thinking to our efforts to solve the regional problems."
  Vlado Buckovski, Prime Minister, Republic of Macedonia, 8 March 2005

• "I am simply amazed and delighted at the ICG's quality, scope, depth, relevance, timeliness, and on-site helpfulness."
  Fidel Ramos, former President, Republic of the Philippines, 8 March 2005

• "You have made several valuable recommendations [on Nepal], some of which are already being implemented by the Government of India".
  Shyam Saran, Indian Foreign Secretary, on behalf on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, 27 February 2005

• "Just a few words to say that I fully share your views on Kosovo as expressed the other day in that most interesting hearing. And, by the way, I think your document is -as usual with most Crisis Group texts- a fine piece, well documented and well written."
  Ignasi Guardans MEP, European Parliament, 27 January 2005

• "You have my congratulations and admiration on your December report. It struck me as a very sober political analysis which is alive both to the complexity of the Iraq situation, and to some important, simple truths that needed to be said.  Very thoughtful and clear-sighted.  Extremely well-written. I couldn’t stop nodding my head when reading it."
  Jonathan Morrow, Constitution Expert, U.S. Institute of Peace, 5 January 2005 on Crisis Group Middle East Report N°34, "What Can the U.S. Do in Iraq?", 22 December 2004

• “In just eight years since Crisis Group's founding, you have become one of the world's premier Non-Governmental Organizations, working from the Balkans to Burma, from Central Africa to Colombia, and many places in between... ICG has an expert presence and staying power in places that make headlines, as well as in places which tend to get crowded out of them. ICG tells power what it thinks and advocates with both passion and effectiveness. It is a continuous source of ideas and insights for Governments, Parliaments, International Institutions, the media and fellow NGOs. In short, ICG is an organization that matters...”
  U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, 10 October 2003
  The full text of the remarks of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell at the International Crisis Group Reception in Washington DC on 10 October 2003 can be found here.

• "Together in a remarkably short time, you have made the International Crisis Group a global voice of conscience, and a genuine force for peace. Your mediation work – and your leadership in early warning and conflict prevention – have been enormously important. So has your intellectual contribution to finding new approaches to long-standing conflicts. Your well researched and carefully argued reports have greatly helped us in understanding the origins and complexities of the conflict in which we become involved – often at short notice."
  Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General, 5 October 2002

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