Frequently asked questions

1. What does CMI do?

CMI's strategy focuses on crisis management and conflict resolution. CMI brings together actors to seek solutions to security challenges, engages in capacity building among the international community in conflict prevention, resolution and transformation and advocates security solutions.

2. When was CMI founded?

CMI was founded in 2000. The starting point when founding the association was that the international community needed an actor which was independent from governments, one which could, for its part, assist in mitigating international crises and in strengthening the international community’s operational capacity.

3. What is the relationship between CMI and the Office of President Ahtisaari?

President Ahtisaari is CMI’s founding member and currently acts as the chairperson of CMI’s board. President Ahtisaari’s office is located in CMI’s premises and CMI offers expert assistance to its chairperson in his activities. In matters concerning President Ahtisaari, please contact Personal Assistant Tuula Tanskanen (tuula.tanskanen(a)cmi.fi).

4. Is CMI an association, a company or a foundation?

CMI is a Finnish organisation of citizens – a registered association – although its functions focus in the international community. CMI’s membership consists of private persons, who share an interest in security and development politics and who want to support the international community’s organisational capacity through CMI. The members direct CMI’s activities. CMI is a non-profit making organisation and does not carry on a business.

5. Who are CMI’s partners?

CMI cooperates with governments, international organisations, NGOs, research institutes and with companies, which want to promote sustainable security.

6. Who funds CMI’s activities?

CMI is a project organisation. Most of its funding comes from governments, but European and American foundations, organisations and companies also fund CMI’s projects.

7. How are CMI’s projects created?

Projects are started in many ways. Sometimes new projects continue previous ones and advance their results. Some the projects are created in CMI after analysing needs in the fields of, e.g., crisis management and development cooperation, others are started at the instigation or request of outside actors.

8. How does CMI choose the projects that it wants to become involved with?

Central criteria for all the projects that CMI gets involved with are that they are in line with CMI’s mission statement and objectives and that they produce concrete added value for the beneficiaries CMI’s board decides on the organisation’s annual work plan and the priorities of work.

9. What is the work division between the Helsinki and Brussels offices?

CMI’s head office is in Helsinki, where the most of the organisation's administration is located. Both offices carry out programmatic activities. One of the Brussels office’s essential tasks is to take care of CMI’s European relationships and cooperation with the European Union and several Brussels-located operators that work in the same area as CMI.

10. How can one become a member of CMI?

The bylaws state that prospective members of the association require the recommendation by two members of the association. CMI’s board approves new members. Persons interested in joining CMI can direct their member applications to CMI’s board. The members include security and development policy professionals, people interested in CMI’s field of work, researchers and decision makers.

11. What role do CMI’s members play?

CMI's aimis that the expertise and know-how of its members could be utilized in developing the organisation’s own work. The members can, for their part, get up-to-date and analytical information on CMI’s function and on the political questions that CMI works with.

12. Can one visit CMI?

Student groups or members of other organisations can visit CMI if agreed upon in advance.

13. Does CMI offer work or internships?

CMI’s personnel needs vary according to ongoing projects. CMI will only offer internships to persons having access to an internship allowance/grant. Work and internship positions are announced in the Vacancies section in CMI’s web pages.

You can also send an open application/CV to applications(a)cmi.fi. CMI staff does not have the possibility to answer open enquieries related to recruiting.