Sergey Shamba Appointed as Abkhazia's New Foreign Minister
Diplomatic Veteran Sergey Shamba returns as Foreign Minister for the third time.
SUKHUM / AQW'A — President Aslan Bzhania has appointed Sergey Shamba as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, marking a return to a role he has held twice before.
Shamba, a seasoned diplomat and statesman, previously served as Foreign Minister from May 1997 to June 2004, and again from December 2004 to 2010. His extensive experience in Abkhazian politics includes a term as Prime Minister from 2010 to 2011, and most recently, as Secretary of the Security Council since July 2020.
This appointment comes in the wake of the departure of former Foreign Minister Inal Ardzinba, who resigned on 7 May, citing a transition to a new position. The move had been anticipated since June when media reports first hinted at impending changes in both the Foreign Ministry and the Security Council.
In a related development, Raul Lolua has been named as the new Secretary of the Security Council, replacing Shamba in this crucial role. Lolua's appointment comes after his earlier nomination for the position of head of the Gudauta district administration was not confirmed.
Sergey Shamba, born on 15 March 1951 in Gudauta, Abkhazia, is a prominent Abkhazian statesman, archaeologist, and Doctor of Historical Sciences. He graduated from Tbilisi State Pedagogical Institute in 1973. Shamba has held various significant roles: Chairman of "Aydgylara" (1990), First Deputy Minister of Defence (1993), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1997-2010), Prime Minister (2010), and Secretary of the Security Council (2020-present). He has authored four books and numerous scientific publications, contributing greatly to Abkhazia's national liberation movement and academic research.
Raul Lolua was born on 20 February 1976 in Sukhum. He graduated from the Sukhum Special Secondary School of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2000 with a degree in law and later studied psychology at the Moscow Social and Humanitarian Institute, graduating in 2005. In 2013, he completed his studies in State and Municipal Management at the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. A veteran of the Georgian-Abkhazian War, Lolua has been awarded the Order of Leon and the Medal of Courage. He participated in the 1998 operation against Georgian armed formations in Gal, led the Anti-Terrorism Centre in 2008, and headed the Special Purpose Centre of the State Security Service in 2012. He served as Minister of Internal Affairs from 2014 to 2015, earning the rank of Major General. From 2017 to 2022, he was a member of Parliament. In January 2024, he was appointed Acting Head of the Gudauta District Administration, but his candidacy was not confirmed.