External Contribution to De Facto State Building : Transnistria and the Outside World

Abstract

International engagement in state building processes is usually limited to recognized states. De facto states, having internal sovereignty but lacking international recognition, are thus excluded from such engagement at least formally. This thesis argues that de facto states are not necessarily isolated, even with their non-recognized status. In the early 1990s Transnistria seceded from Moldova, and has since embarked a relatively successful state building process. In this process Transnistria has managed to enter into informal relations with the outside world, and is to a large extent dependent on it. The Russian Federation is by far the most important relation, but Transnistria is also in relation with inter alia Ukraine and Transnistrian exports to some member sates of the European Union have grown in the 2000s. In such, the outside world has contributed to strengthen Transnistria s internal sovereignty. At the same time, Transnistria s lack of international recognition has contributed to increase cooperation between de facto states, especially between Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia.