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21/10/2008

An open letter to international donors in Georgia

Today, Saferworld and other NGOs with experience working in the Caucasus sent an open letter to development experts and officials participating in the international Donors’ Conference for Georgia that is taking place in Brussels on 22^nd October. The letter highlighted the fragile and uncertain context in the country and presented some recommendations for how the donor community can ensure its response is most effective.

August’s violent conflict in Georgia created not only a humanitarian crisis but continues to have a significant impact on economic, political and social stability across the region. Ordinary people are traumatised and, far from the conflicts being resolved, their underlying causes have actually become more prominent following the violence. Consequently, there remains the potential for crisis scenarios to re-emerge and a return to violence in the future remains a real possibility.

“In a context such as Georgia, it’s important that donors’ assistance is sensitive to the dynamics of the conflicts and is undertaken in such a way that it doesn’t inadvertently contribute to renewed violence – either now, or in a few years down the line,” said Paul Murphy, Head of Saferworld’s Europe Programme. “However, if the Conference can develop a deeper and shared understanding of these issues it has the potential to not only address immediate concerns but also lay the ground for long-term peace, security and stability.”

The letter, Conflict-sensitive approaches to donor engagement in Georgia, was signed by CARE International, Conciliation Resources, IKV Pax Christi, International Alert and Saferworld.

Read Conflict-sensitive approaches to donor engagement in Georgia

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