On Wednesday 24th June 2009 Jonathan Cohen, Director of Programmes, Conciliation Resources, and Marc Behrendt, Eurasia Programme Manager, International Alert, will speak on “How should the international community approach the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict after the August War” from 1-2:30pm.
Following the Russia-Georgia war, and Russia’s subsequent recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states, the Georgia-Abkhaz and Georgia-South Ossetia conflicts have become a Russia-Georgia conflict. However, any lasting solution to the conflict should also involve a new period of reconciliation between Tbilisi and Sukhumi. Is there any room for promoting conflict resolution once again in Abkhazia? How should the international community engage Sukhumi following Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia? How do Abkhaz authorities and people perceive their situation after the August war? What role could the EU and UN play in promoting the conflict-resolution agenda?
Jonathan Cohen joined CR in December 1997 and developed the Caucasus programme, focussing on a range of Georgian-Abkhaz dialogue initiatives at political and civil society levels as well as media and public awareness raising work in relating to both the Abkhaz and Nagorny Karabakh conflicts. In September 2008 he became Director of Programmes overseeing the work of CR's regional programmes. Previously he was deputy director of the Foundation on Inter-Ethnic Relations in The Hague, working with the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Before that he worked for International Alert and the Peace Research Institute Oslo. He has been a board member of the DFID/CAF Partnerships in the Non-Profit Sector Programme for Russia; acted as a consultant to United Nations Volunteers, the Heinrich Boell Foundation, the Berghof Foundation and taught at the London School of Economics. He has degrees from the universities of Bristol, London and Oxford.
Marc Behrendt has been working in the areas of international development, democratization and peacebuilding for over 15 years. As Head of the OSCE Mission to Georgia’s Human Dimension Office, Behrendt was responsible for human rights, democratization, and rule of law monitoring and capacity building activities, including in the zones of conflict. At the OSCE, Behrendt was responsible for Mission activities in the sphere of human security in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia, promoting peacebuilding through strengthening local capacity for and commitment to democratic values and human rights. After 5 years in Georgia, in 2005 Behrendt took a position with the London-based NGO International Alert as the Manager of its Eurasia Programme. Currently he manages activities in the South Caucasus and Central Asia, implementing confidence building initiatives, building capacity in conflict impacted communities and strengthening links between these communities and the international organizations directly engaged in the formal peace processes.
The seminar will be chaired by Oksana Antonenko, Senior Fellow and Programme Director of Russia and Eurasia programme and will be held on the fifth floor of Arundel House, 13-15 Arundel Street, Temple Place, London WC2R 3D.
If you would like to attend, please RSVP Leah Charpentier at iisscurrentevents@iiss.org or tel: 0207 395 9112
