Comfort Ero

Comfort Ero

President & CEO
London

Crisis Group Role

Dr Comfort Ero was appointed Crisis Group’s President & CEO in December 2021. She joined the organisation as West Africa Project Director in 2001 and rose to become Africa Program Director and then, in January 2021, Interim Vice President.

Dr Ero has spent her entire career working on or in conflict-affected countries. In between her two tenures at Crisis Group, she served as Deputy Africa Program Director for the International Centre for Transitional Justice (2008-2010) and, prior to that, Political Affairs Officer and Policy Advisor to the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, UN Mission in Liberia (2004-2007). She has a PhD from the London School of Economics, University of London. Dr Ero is also the Chair of the Board of the Rift Valley Institute and sits on the editorial board of various journals, including International Peacekeeping.

Areas of Expertise

  • Conflict prevention, management and resolution
  • Mediation
  • Peacekeeping
  • Transitional justice
  • Politics and international relations of Africa

Professional Background

  • Deputy Africa Program Director for the International Centre for Transitional Justice (2008-2010)
  • Political Affairs Officer and Policy Advisor to the Special Representative of the Secretary General, United Nations Mission in Liberia (2004-2007)
  • Project Director, West Africa Office, International Crisis Group (2001-2004)
  • Research Fellow, Conflict, Security & Development Group, Centre for Defence Studies, King's College, London (1999-2001)
  • Research Associate, International Institute for Strategic Studies, London (1998-1999)
  • PhD from the London School of Economics, University of London

Languages

  • English (native)
  • French (conversant)
     

In The News

6 Dec 2022
China is working hard to improve its relationships with the US, but also working hard to shore up support among countries Beijing sees as important in its competition. AAP

Comfort Ero

President & CEO
26 Jul 2022
What the west classifies as a pariah nation [i.e. Russia] does not necessarily hold sway in the rest of the world. Financial Times

Comfort Ero

President & CEO
8 Jan 2020
Burkina is a gateway to coastal West Africa and there is a real concern that jihadist groups may see it as a launching pad to gain other footholds in the coastal region. Financial Times

Comfort Ero

President & CEO
31 May 2018
The AU is a bureaucratic body that has no immediate answers for the widespread support for third-termism by African leaders today. The body is missing in action in the ma... Lasentinel

Comfort Ero

President & CEO
15 Feb 2017
Despite the rise of new security structures in [Africa] the last few years, [they] haven't done much to change the [political] dynamic on the ground. All Africa

Comfort Ero

President & CEO
13 Oct 2016
We have to think very carefully about the use of violence [against Boko Haram], sometimes it is necessary, but it mustn’t aggravate the situation, rather it must help to ... Leadership

Comfort Ero

President & CEO

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