International council on Security and Development (ICOS)
http://www.icosgroup.net/

Source description last updated: 21 October 2013

In brief: The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS) is a policy think tank based in London (United Kingdom).

ICOS was formerly known as Senlis Council.

Reports, press releases and maps

Covered monthly on ecoi.net for countries of priorities A-C.

ICOS is a global policy think tank that conducts research on security, development, counter-narcotics and public health issues. By examining “the root causes of current crises”, ICOS seeks to “promote open debate in order to alleviate current governance, development and economic crises and ensure that future policymaking in these areas is informed, humanitarian and delivers impact.” (ISN/ETH Zurich: The International Council on Security and Development (ICOS), undated)

ICOS is a project of the philanthropic Mercator Fund which is affiliated with the Network of European Foundations (NEF) (ICOS: Afghanistan Transition, May 2011, p. 3; Mercator Fund, About Us, undated). The NEF is “an operational platform that seeks to develop joint initiatives between foundations and other actors” and supports development-related projects in Europe and at the global level (NEF: Home, undated).

ICOS runs the following programmes: Rights, Citizenship and Supporting Civil Society; Eliminating Violence Against Children; Urban and Community Development; Youth, Education and Employment; Conflict, Post Conflict Study; Cultural Heritage; Global Food Security Initiative (ICOS: ICOS Programs, undated).

As of October 2006, the Senlis Council was funded by the Mercator Fund/Network of European Foundations (NEF). According to Senlis Council founder Norine MacDonald, the Swiss philanthropist Stephan Schmidheiny is the organisation’s “major financier” through the NEF (Parliament of Canada: 39th Parliament, 1st Session: Standing Committee on National Defence, 25 October 2006).

Geographic: Conflict zones including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Syria

Thematic: Security, development, counter-narcotics, public health

ICOS reports are based on interviews with selected target groups conducted by study research teams in the relevant countries (e.g. ICOS: The Relationship Gap, July 2010, p. 6; ICOS: Syria: A Way Forward, December 2012, p. 103; ICOS: Afghanistan Transition: The Death of Bin Laden and Local Dynamics, May 2011, p. 50).

English

 

All documents available on ecoi.net from this source: http://www.ecoi.net/en/source/2237

All links accessed 21 October 2013.