13.12.2007 - Source: Médecins Sans Frontières

Annual activity report of Médecins Sans Frontières (covering mid-2006 to mid-2007) ("International Activity Report 2006/7") [ID 22038]

Document(s): Open document

03.10.2007 - Source: UN Security Council

Report of the Secretary-General on developments in the UNOMIG's area of responsibility, human rights issues and humanitarian and rehabilitation activities in Abkhazia ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia [S/2007/588]") [ID 21309]

Document(s): Report

18.01.2007 - Source: International Crisis Group

Largest donor in Abkhazia, the EU spent €25 million since 1997; European commission started in 2006 an € 4 million project to support rehabilitation and reconstruction in the conflict zone and to create conditions for IDP and refugee return and reintegration ("Abkhazia: Ways Forward; Europe Report N°179 – 18 January 2007") [ID 18836]

"The EU, the largest donor in Abkhazia, has spent approximately €25 million since 1997 and has ongoing projects worth €5.2 million. In 2006, the Commission started an innovative, three-year, €4 million project to support rehabilitation and reconstruction in the conflict zone so as to create conditions for IDP and refugee return and reintegration. The first, €2 million, phase focused on rehabilitation of the electricity grid, hospital rehabilitation, water and sanitation, and agricultural development. This initial project in Abkhazia to strengthen local infrastructure, services and production was implemented by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UNOMIG in cooperation with district authorities and user groups. The second phase will fund civilian police activities, the Inguri shuttle bus, an information centre in Sukhumi and additional works on the Inguri power plant."

Document(s): Open document

28.02.2006 - Source: ReliefWeb

Report on humanitarian and development situation in South Ossetia and Abkhasia (security situation, prepatriation of refugees, internally displaced persons) ("Humanitarian and development update Feb 2006") [#46548],  [ID 5605]

Document(s): Open document

13.01.2006 - Source: UN Security Council

Numerous activities are carried out to improve living conditions affected by conflict; rehabilitation programme is focused on restoration of basic services, other UN funds are used to help agriculture, internally displaced persons, students, hospitals and others ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia [S/2006/19]") [#42799],  [ID 5606]

"6. […] The rehabilitation programme is a joint effort by the European Commission, which will finance the programme, and UNOMIG and UNDP, which will be the primary implementing partners. The programme consists of two phases, to be carried out within the next two to three years, and is aimed at improving the living conditions of the local population most affected by the conflict through the restoration of basic services such as electricity, public health, water sanitation, waste management and agricultural development. It will also serve to build confidence and enhance security and stability in the area. The meeting marked the launching of the first phase of the programme, which amounts to an estimated 4 million euros and will include rehabilitation of the electricity, public health and agriculture sectors in the Gali, Ochamchira, Tkvarcheli and Zugdidi districts. […]
29. United Nations agencies and international NGOs continued their efforts to assist vulnerable groups affected by the conflict on the Abkhaz side of the ceasefire line. […] UNDP […] focus on income generation through agriculture and the rehabilitation of drinking water and irrigation systems on the Abkhaz side of the ceasefire line. UNDP continued to support capacity-building of local NGOs carried out by the United Nations Volunteer Programme. […] . With the support of UNHCR, the partners established field offices and began their activities, including the assessments for shelter and school reconstruction. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation provided funds for UNHCR to purchase firewood and stoves for the 690 families (2,240 persons) of most vulnerable internally displaced persons in the Zugdidi collective centres as well as for 27 schools (3,800 pupils) in the Gali district.
30. The United Nations Children’s Fund continued to provide rehabilitated schools with student and teacher supplies, as well as recreation kits for children. It also continued to supply vaccines and immunization equipment, essential drugs and maternity, surgical and emergency health equipment to Abkhaz hospitals.[…]
32. The United Nations World Food Programme, in partnership with Acción contra el Hambre, promoted community-based food-for-work activities among the rural vulnerable population. The projects focused on rehabilitation of basic agricultural infrastructure, such as cash-crop plantations and arable land, to upgrade livelihoods of poor households through improved land use and assets. They benefited 8,200 persons from 15 communities from March 2005 through June 2005. Total food distributed to the beneficiaries amounted to 940 tons of wheat flour, vegetable oil, sugar and iodized salt.
33. […] With funds from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office, Acción contra el Hambre supported incomegenerating activities for 1,180 of the most vulnerable people and provided vocational training to 3,133 people in 15 communities on the Abkhaz side of the ceasefire line. With funds from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, it implemented 18 community projects assisting 10,800 persons. Save the Children opened its office in Sukhumi and began implementation of a project to prevent sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency virus. The first of a number of trainings for health providers and other key stakeholders was conducted in December, and the renovation of the AIDS Centre in Sukhumi will begin in early 2006."

Document(s): Open document

13.12.2005 - Source: ReliefWeb

Chechnya, Western Georgia: European Commission provides humanitarian aid for victims of the ongoing crises in Chechnya (€ 6 million) and Georgia (€ 2 million) ("European Commission provides €8 million for victims of crises in Northern and Southern Caucasus (ECHO)") [#47627],  [ID 5607]

Document(s): Open document

08.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Abkhazia: Humanitarian situation remains a serious problem in 2004 ("Freedom in the World 2005") [#41618],  [ID 5608]

"The human rights and humanitarian situation in Abkhazia continued to be a serious problem in 2004. A UN Security Council report issued on July 14, 2004, stated, “The precarious human rights situation . . . showed no signs of improvement. The rule of law, the administration of justice, as well as law enforcement mechanisms remained weak and did not provide adequate protection of the right to life and physical security.”"

Document(s): Open document

08.2005 - Source: Freedom House

Abkhazia: Economy is heavily reliant on Russia; widespread corruption and control by criminal organizations affect economy ("Freedom in the World 2005") [#41618],  [ID 5609]

"Equality of opportunity and normal business activities are limited by widespread corruption, the control by criminal organizations of large segments of the economy, and the continuing effects of the war. Abkhazia’s economy is heavily reliant on Russia; the territory uses the Russian ruble as its currency."

Document(s): Open document

11.07.2005 - Source: ReliefWeb

Abkhazia: UNICEF and UNOMIG delivered 7 new vaccine refrigerators to needy hospitals and children's polyclinics in regions of Gali, Ochamchire, Sukhumi, Gulripsh, Gudauta, Tkvarcheli and Gagra ("Georgia: UN team brings much needed equipment to hospitals throughout Abkhazia"), Autor: UNOMIG [ID 15425]

Document(s): Open document

20.01.2004 - Source: ReliefWeb

Abkhazia: Report on the politicial, social and security situation as well as on the situation of returnees ("Abkhazia briefing note Jan 2004 (UN OCHA)") [#19308],  [ID 5610]

Document(s): Open document

21.07.2003 - Source: UN Security Council

Humanitarian situation, July 2003 ("Report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Abkhazia, Georgia S/2003/751") [#14606],  [ID 5611]

"20. International humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) continued to provide food and medical assistance to those most in need. UNHCR continued to provide health care and other social assistance to more than 270 vulnerable and elderly persons in Sukhumi. The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) visited Georgia in May 2003 to monitor projects implemented with ECHO funding on both sides of the ceasefire line and to identify needs possibly to be covered under the 2003 budget. In 2002, ECHO had allocated [?] 1.3 million to support the most vulnerable in a programme implemented by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Spanish NGO Acción Contra el Hambre (ACH). ICRC has signed a memorandum of understanding with the de facto Abkhaz health a uthorities on the continuation of food aid throughout the region in 2003 for nearly 20,000 of the most destitute and vulnerable residents. With ECHO and Swiss funding, two NGOs - ACH and Première Urgence - continued their projects for vulnerable people in Abkhazia, Georgia, aimed respectively at improving food security and rehabilitating individual houses and some collective accommodations.

21. Efforts were also focused on the restoration of infrastructure and basic services. UNHCR, in cooperation with local authorities and beneficiary communities, continued to focus on the school rehabilitation of communal educational infrastructures. In addition to the 73 schools rehabilitated in 2001-2002, UNHCR is in the process of assisting in the rehabilitation of 10 more school buildings in Abkhazia, Georgia, including 6 in the Gali district. UNOMIG completed 8 of 20 ongoing quick-impact projects designed to improve conditions for displaced persons and also continued to repair roads and bridges to improve access for its observer patrols. The HALO Trust continued to perform mine clearance and mine-awareness training. The United Nations Development Fund for Women completed four public diplomacy meetings in Gali designed to provide a networking forum for women, and is conducting two training projects through local NGOs to strengthen the role of women in management and business.

22. Criminal activity remains a significant concern for the provision of humanitarian assistance, as exemplified by the hijacking and robbery of the HALO Trust (see para. 12 above)."

Document(s): Open document

04.04.2003 - Source: European Parliament

Wirtschaftliche und soziale Lage in Abchasien ("Ad-Hoc-Delegation In Abchasien, Georgien 23. - 28. Februar 2003") [#14725],  [ID 5612]

"Die Delegation war besonders erschüttert über das geringe Ausmaß der
Instandsetzung der im Krieg zerstörten Immobilien nahezu 10 Jahre nach Beendigung
des Konflikts. Nur ein Drittel der Bevölkerung vor dem Krieg lebt zur Zeit in
Abchasien, weshalb so viele Häuser leer stehen und dem Verfall preisgegeben sind.
Die abchasischen Behörden beklagten die schwierige Lage infolge der
Wirtschaftssanktionen, die gegen die Region verhängt wurden, versicherten jedoch,
sie kämen zurecht. Sie beklagten sich ferner über die geringe wirtschaftliche
Unterstützung, die sie im Gegensatz zu Georgien von der internationalen
Gemeinschaft erhalten. Die Georgier ihrerseits argumentieren, dass die Aufhebung
der Sanktionen an die Rückkehr der Flüchtlinge geknüpft werden sollte.

Die russischen Behörden vertraten die Ansicht, dass Schritte hin zu einer
wirtschaftlichen Zusammenarbeit, wie die Öffnung der Eisenbahnstrecke Sotschi-
Sukhumi zwischen Russland und Abchasien (siehe unten) zu politischen Fortschritten
führen könnten. Diese Ansicht wurde von den meisten westlichen Gesprächspartnern
nicht geteilt, die verlangten, dass politische Fortschritte einer wirtschaftlichen
Zusammenarbeit vorausgehen müssten."

Document(s): Open document

12.2002 - Source:

Central Asia and the Caucasus, Journal for Social and Political Studies: The Economic Situation in Blockaded Abkhazia (No 6 (18) 2002) ("Central Asia and the Caucasus, Journal for Social and Political Studies") [ID 5614]

Humanitarian situation in Abkhazia: employment, pensions and wages

"The sharp drop in the size of the population has changed its demographic structure. The share of people of nonworking age is inordinately high. In the 1980s, people of working age constituted 56% of Abkhazia’s total population, whereas today the figure is estimated at no more than 40%.

Quantitative and qualitative changes in the structure of the labor force have had an adverse effect on the opportunities for economic and social development and on employment. On the one hand, there is an acute shortage of labor and, on the other, mass unemployment. The situation is particularly grave in rural areas. Some increase in employment in agricultural production and personal subsidiary farming has been recorded only in the Gali District (upon the partial return of local inhabitants forced to leave their homes during the conflict). Without assistance from international organizations and Georgia, the local authorities will be unable to regenerate the economy, reduce the number of jobless or resolve other employment problems.

Pensions in Abkhazia amount to $0.4 per person. Moreover, they are paid only to city dwellers with delays of several months. In rural areas, pensions are not paid out at all or are not even awarded. The material status of disabled persons is even worse. The only source of livelihood for them is aid from international nongovernmental organizations."

Document(s): Central Asia and the Caucasus, Journal for Social and Political Studies

05.03.2002 - Source: Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe

SFH: Economic situation in Abkhazia ("Lageanalyse Februar 2002") [#8057],  [ID 5613]

"Durch die Blockade Abchasiens ist das Land in arge Not geraten. Richtung Russland funktioniert
der "Kleine Grenzverkehr": In Psou – in der Nähe des berühmten Badeortes Sotschi
– tauschen die Leute ihre Produkte gegenseitig aus. Mandarinen, Nüsse, Granatäpfel
aus Abchasien wechseln gegen Zucker, Mehl, Buchweizen und Brot aus Russland die Seiten.
Im Sommer findet auch ein zaghafter Tourismus statt. In Suchumi sind die Gästehäuser,
insbesondere diejenigen, die sich noch immer im Eigentum des Moskauer Militärbezirkes
und der Führung der Raketentruppen befinden, massiv billiger als in Sotschi. Die EinwohnerInnen
Suchumis träumen von einer Stelle in einer dieser Pensionen, da dort Löhne"

Document(s): Open document

13.09.2001 - Source: Council of Europe - Parliamentary Assembly

Council of Europe: Enormous number of roofless houses ("Honouring of obligations and commitments by Georgia [Doc. 9191]") [#10653],  [ID 5616]

"34. The helicopter flight from Senaki (Western Georgia) to Sukhumi allowed us to see the enormous number of roofless houses bearing witness of a conflict which, regardless of the responsibility for its origin, led to an ethnic cleansing resulting in the displacement of approximately 250 000 ethnic Georgians (out of a total pre-war population in Abkhazia of approximately 525 000 people)."

Document(s): Open document

01.12.2000 - Source: Danish Immigration Service

Danish Immigration Service: Over 50% of the population lives under the poverty line ("Report on roving attaché mission to Georgia") [#6081],  [ID 5615]

"No unemployment statistics are available, but the Centre for Human Rights and Support for Democracy reported that unemployment was high, which meant that many young people were excluded from society and that crime was rising.

The ICRC estimated that over 50% of the population lived under the poverty line. The monthly pension was approximately 100 roubles which is about USD 4, and is often paid late or not at all. A doctor or teacher has an average salary of 150 roubles. Many manage by cultivating small plots of land. Many of the old and sick live in housing which has no windows or doors and has no electricity or gas for heating. The authorities only have a very small budget available for social work.

The humanitarian aid work carried out by the ICRC is comprehensive. It has organised a visiting programme, in which 300 volunteers visit and help old people living alone. The organisation runs soup kitchens and takes food to the disabled and bed-ridden. Non-food items such as children's shoes are taken to families in need. The ICRC also runs five hospitals, three of which are on the front line, supports a blood bank, and with Médecins sans Frontières is opening a clinic. The ICRC has also set up orthopaedic clinics to treat mine victims. It has also supported the opening of two rehabilitation clinics for drug addicts and alcoholics, of which it says there are many in Abkhazia. There is a great lack of doctors, since most of them were Georgians and left the area during the conflict. The ICRC has set up an agricultural programme with the aim of increasing agricultural production (mainly citrus fruits and hazelnuts) and hence incomes. Twelve thousand families in 47 villages are involved in the programme. According to the ICRC Abkhazia is a "lonely country", as besides the ICRC there are only three other aid organisations in the area, one of which is Médecins sans Frontières. The ICRC feels that it is a hostage in the situation, since there would be no other organisations to take on its humanitarian work if it were to withdraw.

The Abkhazian Foreign Minister S. M. Šamba explained that as a result of the conflict Abkhazia was completely destroyed, including economically. However, he felt that the country's economy was recovering, and said that the state budget increased by 60% every year. He also pointed out that although income levels were still lower than in Georgia, taxes were also lower."

Document(s): Open document