Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate

Geographical directorate of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate (EECAD) is a geographical directorate within the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) responsible for the United Kingdom’s diplomatic, policy, and operational engagement with Eastern Europe (including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova) and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan).

Organisational position

EECAD sits within the Defence and Security Directorate General (formerly Defence and Intelligence Directorate General') of the FCDO. It operates alongside the Information Threats and Influence Directorate (now renamed Hybrid Threats Directorate), which maintains links to intelligence functions.

Other directorates within the same Defence and Intelligence Directorate General include:

• National Security Directorate
• Consular and Crisis Directorate
• Euro-Atlantic Security Directorate
• Defence and International Security Directorate

Departments and specialist units

While internal sub-department names are sometimes adjusted, the following are the primary known departments and specialist units that operate within or closely alongside EECAD:

• Russia Department: Responsible for developing the UK’s policy toward Russia and advising ministers on Russia-related matters.
• Central Asia Department: Manages relations and development programmes for the five Central Asian nations (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).
• Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood Department: Focuses on the “Eastern Neighbourhood” region, which traditionally includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Moldova.
• Ukraine Department: Often treated as a high-priority, standalone unit within the directorate’s broader scope, managing specific humanitarian and recovery programmes such as the Humanitarian Assistance, Recovery and Protection (HARP) Programme.
• EECAD Programme Team: Oversees the administration of various funds, including the Integrated Security Fund (formerly the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund – CSSF) and the Good Governance Fund.
• Eastern Research Group: A cadre of long-term analytical experts (formerly part of the FCO Research Analysts) that provides in-depth Russia and regional expertise to inform policy.
• Ukraine Co-ordination Cell/Ukraine Campaign Group
• EECAD Contingency Unit
• Ukraine Early Recovery and Reconstruction Department
• Humanitarian and Development Department

In addition, EECAD has hosted or worked closely with two cross-government specialist units:

• HMG Russia Unit: Created in 2017 as a cross-Whitehall coordinating body to deliver the National Security Council-endorsed Russia Strategy.
• Russian Language Programme (established 2014): An internal FCO training initiative that later evolved into or fed directly into the Counter Disinformation & Media Development (CDMD) programme focused on countering Russian influence through media and information operations.