From supporting the Black Sea Grain Initiative to social media civility in the Balkans, HD teams in Eurasia work across a range of multi-track mediation initiatives in a volatile and diverse region.

Our experience in Eurasia, international networks and trusted relationships allowed HD to contribute to humanitarian and diplomatic efforts around the war in Ukraine.

HD has been active in Ukraine since 2014, positioning our teams to help alleviate the global food crisis, set up evacuation corridors for civilians and develop discreet channels for communication.

During talks between Russia and Ukraine to restart the flow of vital food shipments, our teams provided advice and close support to the Black Sea Grain Initiative led by the United Nations and Türkiye.

By working on the complex process from concept to implementation, HD helped to get millions of tonnes of grain to global markets and people in need.

Elsewhere in the region, HD has supported mediation efforts between Kosovo and Serbia, including the EU-led process of talks and a separate dialogue between the Kosovo government and the country’s minority Serb community.

As part of HD’s global initiatives to limit hostile online behaviour, our Balkans and Digital Conflict teams convened a series of roundtables and workshops in Kosovo that resulted in declarations of good social media conduct by political parties, civil society groups and media outlets around local elections.

In HD’s second online code of conduct in the Balkans, our teams facilitated a Citizens’ Charter on responsible social media behaviour around national elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Developed by a representative group of 50 citizens during a four-day forum, the charter discouraged hate speech, harassment and disinformation on social media during the election period.

Elsewhere in the region, HD has supported efforts to de-escalate tensions between Moldova and the breakaway territory of Transdniestria and between Azerbaijan and Armenia, including an intra-Armenian dialogue to help the country forge a new path forward.

Photo: Inspectors from the Joint Coordination Centre board the first commercial ship to leave the port of Odesa under the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The Razoni was carrying more than 26,000 tonnes of Ukrainian corn bound for Lebanon. © Turkish Defence Ministry