“Black Sea Synergy” for Peacebuilding Initiatives

Regional Meeting of the BSPN, Kyiv, 9 December 2010

Natalya Belitser,Pylyp Orlyk Institute for democracy, Kyiv

General considerationsGeneral considerations There are a number of on-going, “frozen”, and There are a number of on-going, “frozen”, and

potential conflicts in the Black Sea regionpotential conflicts in the Black Sea region that interfere or even prevent successful social/economic development and integration of the region

Until recently, international community paid Until recently, international community paid relatively little attention to them, having, perhaps, relatively little attention to them, having, perhaps, not enough political will to be closely involved in not enough political will to be closely involved in post-Soviet geographical and political spacepost-Soviet geographical and political space

Therefore, in this particular region, a role of the Therefore, in this particular region, a role of the most powerful actors - both the EU (except recent most powerful actors - both the EU (except recent initiative in Crimea) and US - in conflict prevention, initiative in Crimea) and US - in conflict prevention, management, and/or settlement remained rather management, and/or settlement remained rather weak compared to other regions suffering from weak compared to other regions suffering from violent conflictsviolent conflicts

OSCE failureOSCE failure Recent OSCE summit in Astana – the first in more Recent OSCE summit in Astana – the first in more

than a decade – has demonstrated inability of this than a decade – has demonstrated inability of this “Europe’s main security watchdog” to tackle “Europe’s main security watchdog” to tackle successfully the existing post-Soviet conflictssuccessfully the existing post-Soviet conflicts

The 56-member state Organization for Security and The 56-member state Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe could not agree on a new Cooperation in Europe could not agree on a new "action plan" for them; instead,"action plan" for them; instead,

they signed the Astana Commemorative they signed the Astana Commemorative Declaration, which repeated the previous Declaration, which repeated the previous commitment to principles of a free and democratic commitment to principles of a free and democratic security community from Vancouver to Vladivostoksecurity community from Vancouver to Vladivostok

A role of civil society Under such circumstances, to overcome

general negative impact of (different kind of) conflicts on the overall region development, civil society actors and their initiatives might play more decisive role in peace processes in the Black Sea region

To empower civil society in countries of the BSR, several factors are needed, including:

Networking (separate NGOs and initiative groups supporting each other, sharing “good practices”, analysing together shortcomings and drawbacks, providing both internal and external expertise)

Empowering civil society by:

Broadening the scope of opportunities provided by the EU Eastern Partnership (and/or Common Foreign and Security Policy)

Including the issue of conflicts into the agenda of the EaP Civic Forums (creating additional Working Sub-Group?)

Increasing organisational, technical and financial support for peacebuilding projects and initiatives

Providing some kind of protection for civic peace activists in case of persecutions, excessive pressures and/or brutal intimidations

Proposals for the Black Sea Peacebuilding Network

Take measures for establishing closer cooperation with other international and regional networks pursuing the same or similar aims

A few examples of the latter: Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed

Conflicts (GPPAC) has two networks operating in the BSR

East-East: Partnership Beyond Borders Programme (networking national Soros Foundations in many countries of the BSR)

Black Sea Region Peacebuilding Platform (initiated by PATRIR, Romania, has essential human resources, newly established electronic bulletin but up to now, nothing else)

Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly (very active in 90-s, still operating in a few countries of the BSR)

Proposals for the Black Sea Peacebuilding Network

For the decision-makers (including donors): Consider more “synergistic” approach for the

BSPN future activities (including co-funding of joint projects and region-wide initiatives)

reconsider non-inclusion into the Black Sea Peacebuilding Network of those Black Sea countries that already joined NATO and EU (Romania, Bulgaria, and Greece)

For coordinators/managers responsible for projects For coordinators/managers responsible for projects implementationimplementation

Avoid unhealthy “competition” between different projects, aiming instead at closer collaboration (beginning from the early planning stage)

Proposals for the Black Sea Peacebuilding Network

For all actors/stakeholders involved: Promote closer interaction of the BSPN with other

networks, projects and programmes working in the same area and having similar purposes

Use more efficiently media resources (including already existing) for promoting BSPN activities and initiatives

Internet portal “BlackSeaNews” (Crimea, Yalta- based, project supported by the USAID) can serve as common source of information and discussion forum for a number of national Expert Councils of the BSPN

Benefits of a “synergistic” approach:

Possibility of a “cumulative effect”

More cost-saving because of wider use of co-funding

Wider outreach due to targeting different groups/audiences (instead of dealing with the same ones in frames of different projects, which is often the case)

Thank you!Natalya Belitser, POID,belitser.n1@gmail.com