Abkhazia Today

{
  "authors": [
    "Thomas de Waal"
  ],
  "type": "other",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
    "Carnegie Europe"
  ],
  "collections": [
    "Europe’s Eastern Neighborhood"
  ],
  "englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
  "nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Europe",
  "programAffiliation": "EP",
  "programs": [
    "Europe"
  ],
  "projects": [],
  "regions": [
    "Russia",
    "Eastern Europe",
    "Caucasus",
    "Georgia",
    "Iran"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Security"
  ]
}

Other

Carnegie Europe

Abkhazia Today

Abkhazia has grown more internationally isolated and dependent on Russia over the last decade, and the big political issues about its future remain unresolved.

By Thomas de Waal

Published on Jul 4, 2019

Source: CENTRE FOR EUROPEAN POLICY STUDIES

Abkhazia today is in the peculiar state of having both entrenched its de facto separation from Georgia but also finding itself in almost complete international isolation. Recognition as an independent state in 2008 by Russia, (followed by Nauru, Nicaragua, Syria and Venezuela, four other countries with no close connections to the region), coincided with the closure of UNOMIG, the United Nations mission in the region, a reduced presence of international NGOs and humanitarian organizations there and a policy of unequivocal support for Georgia by its Western friends. Since then Abkhazia has become more secure and better off but also even more dependent on Russia, financially, militarily and politically. Yet the patron-client relationship is often strained. The two sides argue over several issues and Russian direct assistance has fallen in the last few years.

Read Full Text

This publication was prepared within the framework of the CEPS-led 3DCFTAs project, enabled by financial support from Sweden. To download the publication, please consult the following link.

About the Author

Thomas de Waal

Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe

Thomas de Waal is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.

Recent Work

Article
Managing Montreux: Turkey and the Russia-Ukraine War in the Black Sea
- Thomas de Waal
Commentary
There Is No Shortcut for Europe in Armenia
- Thomas de Waal

Security Russia Eastern Europe Caucasus Georgia Iran

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Commentary
Strategic Europe
Why Europe Must Take Charge of its Russia Diplomacy Now
Trump is distracted and Ukraine wants Europe to step up. The continent’s leaders must find their voice and assert it in talks with Russia.
Alissa de Carbonnel
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Why Russia Could Escalate Hybrid Warfare Against Europe
Mounting economic strain and battlefield losses will not necessarily make the Kremlin less dangerous. They could instead push Moscow toward a more aggressive hybrid campaign designed to test NATO’s Eastern flank, exploit allied hesitation, and fracture European resolve.
Maksym Beznosiuk
Commentary
Strategic Europe
Taking the Pulse: Enough with the Annual NATO Summits, Already?
Over the past ten years, NATO has held almost as many summits as it did during the entirety of the Cold War. Are they still useful, or is it time to stop holding annual meetings?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
Report
Europe from Scratch: Visions for a New European Order
As the EU confronts profound challenges, several leaders have called for fundamental reform to the union’s model—but only modest, superficial changes have resulted. What if Europe really could be reimagined from zero today: What should such a redesigned European order look like?
Richard Youngs, ed.
Commentary
How NATO Became Anchored in the Black Sea
As Russia's war on Ukraine drags on, NATO is expanding its footprint in the Black Sea. Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria are upgrading their fleets and deepening trilateral cooperation.
Dimitar Bechev

More Work from Carnegie Europe

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Why Europe Must Take Charge of its Russia Diplomacy Now

Trump is distracted and Ukraine wants Europe to step up. The continent’s leaders must find their voice and assert it in talks with Russia.

Alissa de Carbonnel

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Why Russia Could Escalate Hybrid Warfare Against Europe

Mounting economic strain and battlefield losses will not necessarily make the Kremlin less dangerous. They could instead push Moscow toward a more aggressive hybrid campaign designed to test NATO’s Eastern flank, exploit allied hesitation, and fracture European resolve.

Maksym Beznosiuk

Commentary

Strategic Europe

Taking the Pulse: Enough with the Annual NATO Summits, Already?

Over the past ten years, NATO has held almost as many summits as it did during the entirety of the Cold War. Are they still useful, or is it time to stop holding annual meetings?

Rym Momtaz, ed.

Report

Europe from Scratch: Visions for a New European Order

As the EU confronts profound challenges, several leaders have called for fundamental reform to the union’s model—but only modest, superficial changes have resulted. What if Europe really could be reimagined from zero today: What should such a redesigned European order look like?

Richard Youngs, ed.

Commentary

How NATO Became Anchored in the Black Sea

As Russia's war on Ukraine drags on, NATO is expanding its footprint in the Black Sea. Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria are upgrading their fleets and deepening trilateral cooperation.

Dimitar Bechev