Frozen By Corruption: How Illicit Peacekeeping and Shadow Coexistence Undermined Peacebuilding Efforts in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali Region (1990s – 2004)

Abstract

This article examines the ways in which systemic corruption and illicit trade compromised peacebuilding efforts in Georgia's secessionist regions of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region from the 1990s until 2004. Utilizing investigative reports, international monitoring data, and peacebuilding theory, the study presents two interconnected concepts: "Illicit peacekeeping," which refers to the involvement of corrupt mediators – specifically Russian peacekeepers – who benefited from the ongoing conflict; and "Shadow coexistence," an informal collaboration between opposing parties that sustained the conflict economy for their reciprocal material gains. These theories contest traditional perceptions of frozen conflicts as mere political deadlocks and highlight the structural influence of corruption in extending instability. The research contextualizes these dynamics within extensive critiques of liberal peacebuilding and presents implications for future post-conflict governance.