the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Brussels - The global economic meltdown beginning in the latter part of 2008 had its effect on Crisis Group, as on every other organisation dependent on government, foundation and corporate income. We had to engage in some serious belt-tightening, reducing staff in some areas and cutting costs in others.

Brussels - What continues to make the International Crisis Group unique among organisations active in conflict prevention and resolution is our highly distinctive methodology: a combination of field-based research, sharply practical policy recommendations, and high-level advocacy. In January 2008 we were named by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, after an international peer survey, as one of the "Top Ten Think Tanks in the World".

I. Introduction

1. A significant increase in the numbers of persons of concern to UNHCR brought new challenges in 2006. While there was a 14 per cent increase in refugee numbers from the previous year, the Office's involvement, together with other humanitarian partners, in protecting and assisting internally displaced persons (IDPs) under the inter-agency cluster approach, resulted in a doubling of IDP figures. Thanks to better data capturing, many more stateless people have been identified, also swelling numbers.

2.

SPEECH/02/156
Mr Poul Nielson
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid