Crisis Group appoints Comfort Ero as president and CEO

The International Crisis Group has appointed Comfort Ero as its president and chief executive officer (CEO).

The organisation made the announcement in a statement issued on its website on Friday.

“The International Crisis Group is pleased to announce that Dr Comfort Ero will be the organisation’s next president and Chief Executive Officer,” the statement reads.

“Dr Ero, currently Africa program director and interim vice president, will assume office immediately after an extensive year-long search to fill the position formerly held by Rob Malley, who joined the Biden administration as Special Envoy to Iran in January 2021.”

Ero joined Crisis Group in 2001 where she worked as West Africa project director until 2004.

In 2011, she returned to the group as Africa programme director.

In the last 11 months, she served in the capacity of interim vice-president.

“Dr Ero has spent her entire career working in or on conflict-affected countries,” the statement reads.

“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.”

Speaking on the appointment, Frank Giustra, co-chair of Crisis Group’s board, decribed Ero as “an inspiring leader”.

“I’ve long admired how she advocates for Crisis Group’s vital role in saving lives and livelihoods. She has a bold vision for Crisis Group and I look forward to working with her to realise it,” Giustra said.

Also, Susana Malcorra, Crisis Group’s board co-chair, said: “At a time when Crisis Group’s impartial analysis and recommendations are needed more than ever, Comfort is the right choice to be our next president and CEO.”

“She has a long track record of convincing policymakers of the human cost of inaction,” she added.

Reacting to the appointment, Ero said she remains committed to leading the organisation on efforts aimed at addressing conflict across countries.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to be leading Crisis Group, an organisation that I’ve always cherished and have held in high regard since its founding in 1995 and which has played a central role in who I am today,” she said.

“Our mandate of preventing conflict and saving lives is a personal one and I am committed to continuing our work of ensuring that perspectives from conflict affected countries are heard.”