As with any reform, says UN Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes in his article on page 4, “you have the believers, the sceptics and the opponents.” The perspectives of all three camps are represented in this issue’s feature section on humanitarian reform – which we hope will contribute to a constructive and fruitful debate around the world.
We are very grateful to Concern Worldwide, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, OCHA’s Humanitarian Reform Support Unit, Save the Children UK, UNFPA, UNICEF and WFP for providing financial support for this issue. Many thanks also to former FMR Co-Editor Tim Morris for his invaluable editing assistance.
I’m delighted to announce the appointment of FMR’s new Co-Editor, Maurice Herson, who will join the FMR team in January. Maurice was an active member of FMR’s Advisory Board for some years and will be known to many of you through his years of work with Oxfam GB and more recently with ALNAP (Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in Humanitarian Action).
Please note that the schedule for the next two issues of FMR has changed. In light of current events, we have brought forward the feature theme on Burma. FMR 30 – due out April 2008 – will now focus on Burma. The deadline for submissions is 3 January 2008; full details at www.fmreview.org/burma.htm. The following issue, FMR 31, will include a major feature section on climate change and environmental displacement. Deadline for submissions is 3 March: see www.fmreview.org/climatechange.htm. If you are planning to submit articles for either of these issues, please contact fmr@qeh.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible.
As usual, there will be space in both issues for a number of ‘non-theme’ articles. We welcome articles on any subject relating to forced migration and are particularly keen to publish more articles reflecting the perspectives of individuals and communities directly affected by displacement.
All back issues of FMR are online at http://www.fmreview.org/issues.html.
We occasionally email individual readers to ask for advice on matters relating to FMR. If you have changed your email address in the last three years, we would be very grateful if you could email us at fmr@qeh.ox.ac.uk to let us know. Many thanks.
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With best wishes for your work.
Marion Couldrey
Editor