In the Black Sea and Central Asia region, CMI works with civil societies and conflict-affected groups to increase their capacity and possibilities to engage in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.
- CMI coordinates a regional network of non-governmental organizations on peacebuilding issues in seven countries in the Black Sea region. CMI has created networks for national and regional civil societies to build greater regional capacity in conflict transformation.
- CMI aims to strengthen the capacity of young leaders to engage in the conflict resolution processes in Nagorno-Karabakh, contributing to the cumulative growth of people engaged in constructive conflict transformation.
- CMI acted as a secretariat of the Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission, which was mandated by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic to explore the facts, circumstances, causes and aftermath of the violent events of June 2010 in Southern Kyrgyzstan.
- In addition, CMI has started to work to support sub-national approaches of political reintegration in Afghanistan.
For information on our current projects, see below.
People related to the projects can be found here.
Black Sea and Central Asia Project News
Experts discuss conflicts in the Black Sea region
Over 30 experts from the Black Sea region met in Istanbul on December 9 - 11.2011 to share insights on conflicts in the region. During the Black Sea Peace Network’s (BSPN) annual meeting experts reflected on recent project updates and project implementation.
The participants and experts from seven BSPN countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine gave thematic presentations on topics such as the Kurdish question, North and South Caucasus conflicts, Transnistria, European initiatives on the Karabakh conflict and the impact of the global financial crisis on the region. The presentations were divided into two larger categories: “The Black Sea region: Possibilities for Conflicts Transformations” and “Regional Cooperation in Black Sea Region.”
The meeting was organized by CMI and co-hosted by the Turkish Citizens' Assembly (HCA).
Moldova-Transdniestria Project - Cyprus Study Tour
The new Moldova-Transdniestria project of CMI held its first major event from 31 October till 5 November 2011. A group of high-level experts focused on the peace process in Moldova-Transdniestria were brought to Cyprus for an intensive study tour of the Cypriot experience with confidence building measures, socioeconomic cooperation and civil society peacebuilding initiatives, as well as a specific focus on the EU’s rules of engagement for the unrecognized Northern part of Cyprus. The experts included former and current members of the official teams involved in the political negotiations in Moldova-Transdniestria, as well as senior civil society experts. Due to the regional nature of the conflict, participants were brought from not only Chisinau and Tiraspol as the central cities for the two sides of the conflict, but also from Brussels, Berlin, Kyiv and Moscow. During the study tour the experts met with former President of the Republic of Cyprus George Vasiliou, former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat, current Special Representatives from both sides involved in the UN-facilitated negotiations process, as well as civil society experts, town mayors, chambers of commerce and officials from both the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities and the EU and UN institutions present on the island. CMI will now produce a short comparative analysis of the CBMs processes in Cyprus and Moldova-Transdniestria.
Dialogue on possibilities for conflict resolution in Afghanistan
Since the start of year 2011, CMI has sought opportunities to engage in a dialogue process on prospects for peace in Afghanistan. CMI believes that the participation and inclusiveness in the peace process should be widened and opportunity be given to a larger number of people not only limited to the political leadership in Kabul. Therefore CMI aims to provide an opportunity for various individuals from different background in Mazar-e-Sharif, Northern Afghanistan to come together and discuss the causes, drivers and consequences of the conflict in Afghanistan and more importantly what are the prospects for peace, what should happen for peace to be take place and be sustainable so people of Afghanistan could be living a common future.
Black Sea Peacebuilding Network
The Black Sea Peacebuilding Network project (BSPN) is based on the extensive experience that CMI has gained from working with state and non-state actors. Most importantly, it has allowed civil society to work towards a common goal and to produce positive precedents. CMI has also created networks for national and regional civil societies to build greater regional capacity in conflict transformation by operating at the grassroots level in the region.
The network of the 2009 Expert Councils in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova was enlarged in 2010 by the new Expert Councils in the Russian Federation, Turkey and Ukraine. In all member countries of the network, the Expert Councils for Conflict Resolution/Transformation and Peace Initiatives elaborate alternative and unbiased recommendations for conflict resolution and peace initiatives.
European Partnership for the Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh
CMI has been involved in the Black Sea region since 2006. In the past four years, CMI’s engagement has evolved from implementing activities designed to increase civil society contribution to conflict resolution in connection with the European Neighbourhood Policy to creating a Black Sea Peacebuilding Network, made up of transparent, self-ruling, civil society structures (Peacebuilding Expert Councils) in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Turkey, Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
In June 2010, CMI became one of the five partners of the European Partnership for the Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (EPNK).
The European Partnership for the Peaceful Settlement of the Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (EPNK) is a partnership of European NGOs working to enact initiatives, which will cumulatively contribute to the peaceful settlement over Nagorno-Karabakh. EPNK draws together the complementary geographic and thematic expertise of five non-governmental organisations, while structuring in one action three specific strands of work: Media Initiatives, Conflict Affected Groups and Public Policy. The members of the partnership are: International Alert, Conciliation Resources, Crisis Management Initiative, Kvinna till Kvinna and the London Information Network on Conflicts and State Building.
Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission
The Independent International Commission of Inquiry into the events in the Southern part of the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission) has been mandated by the President of the Kyrgyz Republic to explore the facts and circumstances, causes and aftermath of the tragic events of June
On the basis of its findings, the Commission prepared a public report with an assessment of the events and recommendations. These recommendations are designed to help the authorities and the society of the Kyrgyz Republic as well as the international community to build peace, stability and reconciliation. CMI was acting as the secretariat of the Kyrgyzstan Inquiry Commission. The full report, including the comments of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, can be found at the official website of the commission at www.k-ic.org or via the links below.
Comments of the Kyrgyz Government
In Russian: