What Peacebuilding in Kyrgyzstan Can Teach Us About Ukraine

Western-supported peacebuilding, mediation, and reconciliation projects initiated in response to the June 2010 ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan proved attractive to donors for a variety of reasons. However, the long-term ability of these projects to overcome “ethnic mistrust” and prevent the recurrence of future conflict is difficult to establish. If a lasting peace is ever to be achieved in eastern Ukraine, great efforts will be needed to bridge the regional and ethnic divides and address the legacy of the armed conflict.

While there are, of course, significant differences between the two cases, the experience of donors in southern Kyrgyzstan may offer helpful lessons for future efforts in Ukraine. Where did these efforts in Kyrgyzstan succeed? Where did they fall short? What are the current and likely future needs of eastern Ukraine, and how can the lessons of Kyrgyzstan be applied?

The Open Society Foundations recently hosted a discussion on these issues with Dr. Nicholas Megoran of Newcastle University and Inna Pidluska of the International Renaissance Foundation.

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