Eva Puhar

Supporting the preparation, coordination, and follow-up of the European Council, the Council, and their preparatory bodies, with a focus on enlargement processes for Montenegro and Georgia. Acting as country desk for Montenegro, drafted briefings, strategic notes, and background papers, providing clear, concise, and high-quality advice to the President of the European Council, Council Presidencies, Secretary-General, DG RELEX leadership, and other stakeholders in English and French, with working knowledge of Montenegrin, Croatian, and Serbian.

Coordinated and supported the COELA Working Party, providing guidance to the Chair, ensuring timely distribution of documents, smooth meeting organization, and liaising with delegates at Working Party level. Coordinated preparations for Inter-Governmental Conferences with Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, and Moldova, engaging with representatives in their EU missions. Supported summit preparations, field missions, and Presidencies, representing the Council Secretariat in enlargement-country diplomatic outreach.

Demonstrated practical skills in judgment, problem-solving, and organization, consistently applying these in politically dynamic and diplomatically sensitive environments. Developed a thorough understanding of Council decision-making processes, GSC working methods, and EU enlargement frameworks, while coordinating work with colleagues to ensure effective policy implementation. Proactively stepped in for colleagues when needed, contributing expertise across a broad portfolio of countries. Maintained focus on results, delivering well-informed analyses, high-quality briefs, and practical solutions.

Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, and a practical, results-oriented approach. Built and maintained strong relationships across EU institutions, Member States, and external stakeholders.

Led a six-person team overseeing DG ECHO’s humanitarian and civil protection response to natural disasters, migration, and refugee crises. Managed the €1.2 billion EU aid programme (ESSN), providing monthly multipurpose cash transfers to 1.5 million vulnerable refugees in Türkiye, and negotiated its transition to EU development funding. Coordinated crisis response operations across Türkiye, Nagorno-Karabakh, the Balkans, and Ukraine, including nutrition, cash-based assistance, child protection, and Gender-Based Violence strategies. Represented the unit in international coordination forums, drafted briefings for senior EU officials, and led capacity-building initiatives with regional civil protection actors. Served as focal point for basic needs, protection, International Humanitarian Law, and greening of humanitarian aid.

• Supported management of the migration and forced displacement portfolio across Asia, Middle East, and the Pacific. Advised EU Delegations on project design, implementation, and visibility actions, contributing to programme identification, appraisal, and monitoring. Managed migration-related initiatives in Bangladesh, including sustainable reintegration and improved migration governance with IOM, and coordinated EU development assistance response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, focusing on nutrition, protection, and community empowerment.

• As ICRC field delegate I was deployed in various countries to respond to the needs of people affected by armed conflict and other situations of violence by conducting tasks such as visiting detainees (Rwanda, Kosovo and Serbia, Lebanon), restoring family links (Sudan, Kosovo, Iran, Georgia) and documenting violations of International Humanitarian Law/ Human Rights Law (Sudan, Kosovo, Iran, Georgia, Lebanon).

I held various positions (in reverse chronological order)

• Coordinator for the Transregional Migration File (Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa) based in Belgrade (Serbia)
• Protection Coordinator / Deputy Head of Mission in Tehran (Iran)
• Coordinator of the Missing Persons’ Project in Tbilisi (Georgia)
• Protection Coordinator (Lebanon)
• Head of Office Mitrovica (Kosovo)
• Tracing Delegate (Sudan)
• Delegate (Rwanda)