Crisis Group Restructuring in the Balkans

Brussels Crisis Group has recently undertaken a restructuring of its Balkan operations in keeping with its organisational needs and mandate. As part of this restructuring, Crisis Group will continue to maintain a presence in Serbia and Montenegro with James Lyon playing an expanded role as Senior Adviser, with a mandate including not only Serbia and Montenegro, but also Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Crisis Group presence in Kosovo will continue to be headed by Alexander Anderson.

As Crisis Group works towards fulfilling its mandate of conflict prevention, it regularly evaluates its areas of operation as to whether there is still an ongoing risk of renewed conflict. As the threat of armed conflict in the Balkans has lessened and prospects for European integration have increased, Crisis Group has reduced its field presence accordingly, closing its offices in Montenegro in 2001, Macedonia in 2003, and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2004. If current trends continue, Crisis Group anticipates reducing its Balkan presence further. This could include phasing out its presence in Serbia as early as the end of December 2006. This, of course, is subject to change at any time, should the situation on the ground warrant it.

Crisis Group is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, with around 115 full-time staff members on five continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict. Crisis Group’s approach is grounded in field research. Teams of political analysts are located within or close by countries at risk of outbreak, escalation or recurrence of violent conflict. Based on information and assessments from the field, Crisis Group produces regular analytical reports containing practical recommendations targeted at key international decision-takers.