Turkey's Abkhaz Diaspora as an Intermediary Between Turkish and Abkhaz Societies

Abstract

Although Turkey does not recognize Abkhazia and maintains a trade and transportation embargo on the defacto republic, Turkey's large historical Abkhaz diaspora has consistently challenged its government's policies. Defying legal restrictions, the diaspora has been the chief driver behind Turkish investment and trade in Abkhazia. In the absence of official contacts between Abkhazia and Turkey, the leading diaspora organization, called Abhazfed, has become the main Turkish institutional counterpart for the Abkhaz authorities, combining the role of an "embassy" with that of a lobbying firm. In Abkhazia, a community of returnees from Turkey has been active in promoting business and grassroots ties between the two societies, assuming the position of intermediaries. Ties between Abkhazia and its diaspora in Turkey proved resilient even during the tensest period in Russian-Turkish relations (November 2015 - June 2016).