

Background
In 1998, Eurasia Foundation launched the South Caucasus Cross-Border Programs, a unique initiative designed to address shared regional challenges by developing common approaches, as well as by exchanging experiences and innovative ideas among engaged citizen groups in the South Caucasus.
Since 1998, the Programs invested over 6 million in grants and technical assistance to the South Caucasus by supporting more than 150 trilateral projects in such areas as independent media strengthening, economic development, environmental protection, and public policy development.
Goal:
EPF’s Cross-Border programs promote confidence building across the region of the South Caucasus by leveraging regional economies of scale, exchanging regional and international best practices, sharing innovative ideas, and fostering cooperative networks among civil society, media, and businesses from the South Caucasus.
Strategy:
EPF Cross-Border Programs in 2009 fall into four main directions: South Caucasus Citizen Empowerment to promote inclusive and transparent decision-making on public policy issues in the South Caucasus; South Caucasus Creative Commons (CC) to adapt the CC licensing system to intellectual property rights frameworks in the South Caucasus; Unbiased Media Coverage to increase the amount of accurate and unbiased reporting of the bilateral relationship; and South Caucasus Public Policy Capacity Building to improve the quality of policy analysis in the countries of the South Caucasus.

