Sergei Shamba

Sergei Miron-ipa Shamba is an Abkhaz politician. He is currently a member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia and Chairman of United Abkhazia. He was Prime Minister of Abkhazia under President Sergei Bagapsh from 13 February 2010 until 27 September 2011. Between 1997 and 2010, he had been Minister for Foreign Affairs under both Bagapsh and his predecessor Vladislav Ardzinba, with only a half-year interruption in 2004. Shamba has twice unsuccessfully contested the presidential elections, in 2004 and 2011. He has been a staunch proponent for dialogue between Abkhazia and Georgia.