On 17 May 2017, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Ambassador Kęstutis Jankauskas, visited the Free University of Tbilisi, where he gave a lecture on "The EU’s 60-th anniversary and EUMM in the context of European Security and Defence Policy".
Prior to the lecture, Head of Mission together with his colleagues was offered a very interesting comprehensive tour around the University Campus.
The lecture opened with background information on the establishment of the EU, main achievements of the EU over the last sixty years, and key milestones of the European-Georgian relations, including EU Association Agreement, DCFTA, visa-liberalisation and EU Assistance to Georgia.
Further, Head of Mission Jankauskas continued explaining the nature of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) in general and, CSDP Missions in particular. The lecture also encompassed the history of the deployment of the EUMM to Georgia, description of its mandate’s pillars and activities on the ground, in particular 24/patrolling and monitoring. It also touched upon the implementation of the six-point ceasefire agreement, use of confidence building mechanisms, such as the Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) meetings and the Hotline, as well as engagement with Georgian government structures, and cooperation with international and local interlocutors.
During his presentation, the Head of Mission emphasized the vital importance of the Mission’s presence in Georgia, and its solid contribution to the stability on the ground, as well as providing information to relevant EU policy making bodies in Brussels and EU member states capitals.
A lively question-and-answer session concluded the meeting, where curious future practitioners, experts and academics of International Relations, Business Administration, Governance and Social Sciences and lawyers sought the opinion of the Head of Mission concerning the ongoing activities of the EUMM within the wider context of conflict management and resolution process in Georgia.
Head of Mission introduces the main pillars of the EUMM mandate to the students
Anastasia Bendukidze-Goncharova, Representative of the Free University, is attending the lecture with great interest
Attentive students indulged in a thought-provoking conversation
Head of Mission Kestutis Jankauskas is answering an interesting question by a curious student