Batu Kutelia
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, Republic of Georgia
Accountable Policing
Internal Accountability, Integration and Amalgamation, Recruitment, Corruption, Training
public support, foreign assistance, security, defense, police, paramilitary, demilitarization, decentralization, standardized testing, Soviet legacy, training, depoliticization, corruption
Matthew Devlin
Georgia
Embassy of the Republic of Georgia,
Washington, D.C.,
United States
Wed Apr 15 2009
Abstract
Batu Kutelia explains how Georgia modernized its post-Soviet law enforcement system after the Rose Revolution, which prior to 2004, he describes as highly politicized and corrupt. One of the central reforms Kutelia describes is personnel management, including changes to recruitment, training and oversight of police and defense personnel to reduce corruption. He also describes the necessity to depoliticize and demilitarize the law enforcement system. He explains how the two different national security institutions merged to reduce redundancy and how centralized decision-making processes shifted to improve transparency. While Kutelia recognizes that decentralization was a key element of Georigia’s security reform, he adds that political will and public support have been essential to sustain change in the country.
Full Profile
Since January 2011, Mr. Kutelia was the deputy secretary of the National Security Council of Georgia. From 2008 until 2011 he was the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. In his previous capacities he has been first deputy minister of defense (2007-2008), deputy minister of defense and foreign affairs (2006-2007) and deputy minister of state security (2004). From 2005-2006 he functioned as the head of Foreign Intelligence Special Service of Georgia. Before this he was head of the Foreign Intelligence Department of the Ministry of State Security of Georgia and director of the Political Security Department of the National Security Council in 2004. Before turning into his diplomatic and political career Mr. Kutelia studied physics and holds a PhD in physics. He also holds a master's degree in public affairs administration. Mr. Kutelia is fluent in English, French, Russian and Georgian.
