Louise Arbour To Head Crisis Group
- March 22nd, 2009
- Posted by EUEditor
The former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2002-8), Louise Arbour (picture), is to be the next President and CEO of the International Crisis Group — successor to the Australian, Gareth Evans.
Louise Arbour, previously a Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada, was from 1996-99 the Chief Prosecutor for the International Criminal Trials, for Rwanda and Yugoslavia.
A Crisis Group statement said:
“In these roles, she drove a significant expansion of trial activity, bringing tens of accused war criminals into custody, and leading the Tribunal to issue the first war crimes indictment by an international court of a serving head of state, President Slobodan Milosevic.â€
“Her appointment will ensure that Crisis Group maintains and builds upon its reputation as the world’s leading independent, non-partisan source of analysis and advice to governments and intergovernmental bodies on the prevention and resolution of deadly conflictâ€, said the Crisis group Co-Chair Tom Pickering.
Gareth Evans, previously Foreign Minister of Australia, became President of the organisation, based at Brussels and Washington, in 2000.
He is returning to Australia in July, when Ms Arbour commences her term, to work as Co-Chair of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament – a joint global initiative of the Australiana and Japanese governments.
The Co-Chairs of Crisis Group are Mr Pickering and Lord (Chris) Patten, formerly a British Minister and the last colonial Governor of Hong Kong.
Picture: orchr.org