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HELSINKI, 21 November 2025 - The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office’s Special Envoy, Ambassador Terhi Hakala, will visit Tirana from 24 to 26 November to meet with high-level government officials, representatives of the international community and youth civil society organizations. The aim of the visit is to further strengthen the OSCE’s partnership with Albania and in South-East Europe.

During the visit Special Envoy Hakala will open the Regional Conference on Online Gender-Based Violence as well as the Conference on 50th Anniversary of Helsinki Final Act.

Throughout the visit, Special Envoy Hakala will also engage with the OSCE Presence in Albania.

The latest information from the OSCE CiO of Finland can be found at https://www.osce.org/chairpersonship and on X: @Finland_OSCE

More information:

Marja Rosvall, Team Leader, Task Force for the Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship

marja.rosvall@gov.fi, +358 295 350 347

602043

A two-day OSCE workshop held on 13 and 14 November in Ulaanbaatar brought together 27 representatives of the Independent Authority Against Corruption (IAAC), the Financial Regulatory Commission, law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and other relevant agencies to enhance national capacities in addressing money-laundering risks associated with virtual assets and blockchain-based finance.

The event focused on practical aspects of compliance, supervision, and investigations involving virtual assets. Participants gained hands-on experience in using blockchain analytics tools and explored regulatory and institutional approaches to mitigating emerging risks. This included examining best practices for financial institutions in servicing virtual asset businesses, approaches to due diligence and on-chain transaction monitoring, and the importance of inter-agency co-operation and information exchange in combating illicit finance.

“We are supporting Mongolia in strengthening its regulatory and investigative capacities on virtual assets, helping to ensure a safer and more transparent financial environment for all,” noted Zurab Sanikidze, Senior Project Officer and Project Manager at the OSCE.

“Mongolia continues to take steps in the areas of anti-corruption and anti-money laundering. This support is timely as the virtual asset field continues to evolve and present new challenges,” highlighted Jargalbaatar Chimeddorj, Head of the Investigation Unit and Senior Commissioner at the IAAC, in his opening remarks.

Discussions also addressed Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism  (AML/CFT) supervision of crypto firms under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, collaboration between financial institutions and law enforcement, and effective communication mechanisms for reporting and freezing crypto assets.

The workshop was organized by the OSCE Office of the Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money-Laundering Risks of Virtual Assets”. The project receives financial support from the Governments of Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Newsletter - 24-27 November 2025 - Strasbourg plenary session

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

602037

A two-day OSCE workshop held on 12 and 13 November in Ashgabat brought together 26 representatives from financial and supervisory authorities, law enforcement bodies, and commercial banks to strengthen national capacities in investigating and recovering assets linked to virtual assets and blockchain-based finance.

The event was the second phase of a training series designed to help national institutions enhance alignment with international standard, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Recommendations 15 and 16.

Participants discussed the application of these standards and explored how blockchain analytics tools can be used to detect and investigate illicit transactions involving cryptocurrencies. The training combined theoretical sessions with hands-on exercises focused on tracing transactions, identifying virtual asset service providers (VASPs), and using blockchain-based evidence in criminal proceedings.

Discussions also addressed the role of prosecutors in early case detection, the licensing and supervision of VASPs, and the importance of inter-agency and international co-operation in crypto-related investigations.

The workshop emphasized the need for close collaboration between financial institutions, supervisory authorities, and investigative agencies in responding to emerging money-laundering and asset recovery challenges linked to virtual assets.

The event was organized in co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money-Laundering Risks of Virtual Assets”, implemented by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA). The project receives financial support from the Governments of Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

À Diégonefla, une ville située à 270 kilomètres d’Abidjan, les femmes tirent profit du beurre de cacao pour faire fondre les inégalités.

À Diégonefla, une ville située à 270 kilomètres d’Abidjan, les femmes tirent profit du beurre de cacao pour faire fondre les inégalités.

Dauer des Videos : 60'

Haftungsausschluss : Die Verdolmetschung der Debatten soll die Kommunikation erleichtern, sie stellt jedoch keine authentische Aufzeichnung der Debatten dar. Authentisch sind nur die Originalfassungen der Reden bzw. ihre überprüften schriftlichen Übersetzungen.
Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2025 - EP

Length of video : 60'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Dauer des Videos : 45'

Haftungsausschluss : Die Verdolmetschung der Debatten soll die Kommunikation erleichtern, sie stellt jedoch keine authentische Aufzeichnung der Debatten dar. Authentisch sind nur die Originalfassungen der Reden bzw. ihre überprüften schriftlichen Übersetzungen.
Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2025 - EP

Length of video : 45'

Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Die Bundesregierung hat am Mittwoch ihre erste Weltraumsicherheitsstrategie vorgestellt – zu einem Zeitpunkt, an dem europaweit die Verteidigungsinvestitionen steigen und die Dimension Weltraum neue Aufmerksamkeit erfährt. Der Krieg in der Ukraine hat gezeigt, wie zentral weltraumgestützte Systeme für die militärische Infrastruktur sind – und dass Satellitensysteme selbst zur Zielscheibe werden können. Vor diesem Hintergrund soll die neue Strategie Deutschlands Prioritäten definieren und die langfristige Aufstellung festlegen.

Die Strategie wurde unter der Federführung des Verteidigungsministeriums und des Auswärtigen Amtes erarbeitet. Bereits auf den ersten Seiten wird klar: Ohne den Weltraum geht es nicht mehr – weder zivil noch militärisch. Das Timing für die Veröffentlichung könnte passender nicht sein: Vor wenigen Wochen kündigte Verteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius Investitionen von 35 Milliarden Euro für den Aufbau einer Weltraumsicherheitsarchitektur in den nächsten fünf Jahren an. Zusammen mit der neuen Strategie bietet sich die Möglichkeit, Deutschland an den Tisch der internationalen Weltraumakteure zu bringen. Bisher ist dies nicht gelungen. Denn obwohl Deutschland konstant in die zivile Raumfahrt investiert hat, gibt es im militärischen Bereich einiges aufzuholen. 

Realität trifft auf Strategie

Das Dokument ist von drei Jahren Krieg in Europa und den daraus gezogenen Lehren geprägt. Somit spielt Resilienz eine zentrale Rolle. Ungeschönt wird davon gesprochen, dass sich Streitkräfte in Zukunft nicht immer auf die Verfügbarkeit von weltraumgestützten Diensten verlassen können. Zudem wird darauf hingewiesen, dass gar kein Konfliktfall eintreten muss, um Systeme zu beeinträchtigen. 

Dies spiegelt die Erfahrungen aus der Ukraine wider: Dort schränken russische Angriffe auf das elektromagnetische Spektrum tagtäglich Kommunikations- und Navigationssignale ein. Doch auch europäische Systeme sind bereits jetzt betroffen. So berichtete zuletzt der britische Weltraumkommandeur von Störungen militärischer Kommunikationssatelliten, und auch Verteidigungsminister Pistorius erklärte, dass von der Bundeswehr genutzte Satelliten von russischen Aufklärungssatelliten verfolgt werden.  

Um diesen Herausforderungen zu begegnen, braucht es Partner. Deutschland und seine europäischen Nachbarn sind weiterhin stark von amerikanischen Satellitensystemen abhängig. So nennt die Strategie die USA sowohl als wichtigen bilateralen Partner als auch als Partner innerhalb bestehender Weltraumkonsortien wie der »Combined Space Operations Initiative« (CSpO), »Operational Olympic Defender« und der »Artemis-Akkorde«. Dennoch wird klar, dass die Bundesregierung bei Beschaffungsprozessen und Standardisierungen vor allem auf europäische Partner setzt. Deutschland handelt primär innerhalb multilateraler Foren wie der Nato und der EU, und der Weltraum ist hierbei keine Ausnahme. Durch die Investitionen und die strategische Neuausrichtung übernimmt Deutschland hier jedoch eine regionale Vorreiterrolle. Diese europäische Ausrichtung der Regierung ist ein Zeichen für das Streben nach größerer Unabhängigkeit von den USA und zeugt zudem von neuem Selbstbewusstsein.

Eine neue Dringlichkeit

Die Strategie betont die Dringlichkeit der Situation, indem sie deutlich macht, dass der Weltraum zum Schauplatz geopolitischer Konflikte geworden ist. Es wird davon gesprochen, eine Verteidigungsfähigkeit »entschlossen und zügig« auszubauen. Auch wenn die deutsche Ausrichtung defensiv bleibt, wird auch die mögliche Beschaffung von Fähigkeiten erwähnt, die die Nutzung des Weltraums durch gegnerische Akteure einschränken könnten. Obwohl solche Fähigkeiten im Weltraum nie ausdrücklich ausgeschlossen wurden, stellt deren Beschaffung einen Wendepunkt in der deutschen Weltraumpolitik dar.

Der Anspruch der Strategie ist hoch, ebenso wie der Umfang der angekündigten Investitionen und der bestehende Aufholbedarf. Die Bundesregierung hat sich gut positioniert: Die Investitionen eröffnen viele Möglichkeiten, und die Strategie lässt viel Handlungsfreiraum. Nun müssen den Worten Taten folgen. Die größte Herausforderung wird vor allem darin bestehen, effizient mit Partnern und der Industrie zusammenzuarbeiten, um zeitnah Erfolge zu erzielen. Denn eines macht die Strategie deutlich: Der Weltraum ist kein Zukunftsthema mehr, sondern bereits heute ein wichtiger Teil der nationalen Verteidigungsfähigkeit.

AMENDMENTS 1 - 278 - Draft report EU strategic defence and security partnerships
Committee on Security and Defence
Michał Szczerba

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

AMENDMENTS 1 - 278 - Draft report EU strategic defence and security partnerships
Committee on Security and Defence
Michał Szczerba

Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

Along the southern coast of India, hard protective infrastructure has become the default response to increasingly frequent cyclones and severe coastal erosion. However, such interventions not only intensify erosion by disrupting sand movement, but also obscure its root causes, which are often contested through diverging narratives and knowledge claims about the sand and the sea. Making use of the burgeoning literature on ‘geosociality’ and ‘situated knowledges’, this paper interrogates how knowledge about coastal dynamics is produced, legitimised and contested in shaping these protective measures. Drawing on multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork, including interviews and participant observation among ocean engineers, policymakers and artisanal fishers, we unravel the diverging and oftentimes contested epistemologies that shape how uncertain coastal futures are navigated. By examining the social entanglements with geomorphic processes such as sand movement and erosion, we show how different forms of knowledge adapt to the unpredictability of the sea, yet with uneven socio-spatial consequences, particularly for artisanal fishers. We argue that coastal protection practices are embedded in epistemic hierarchies that prioritise technical expertise and predictive science, rendering fishers' situated knowledges less legitimate in decision-making. By situating both livelihood practices and scientific modelling within their social and epistemic contexts, we demonstrate how confronting uncertainty can challenge power asymmetries that shape knowledge production. Rather than defaming engineering knowledge, we call for complementary approaches that recognise uncertainty, complexity and the value of co-produced knowledge. Situating fishers' knowledges alongside modelling practices provides openings for re-politicising adaptation and rethinking whose expertise counts in shaping coastal futures.

Along the southern coast of India, hard protective infrastructure has become the default response to increasingly frequent cyclones and severe coastal erosion. However, such interventions not only intensify erosion by disrupting sand movement, but also obscure its root causes, which are often contested through diverging narratives and knowledge claims about the sand and the sea. Making use of the burgeoning literature on ‘geosociality’ and ‘situated knowledges’, this paper interrogates how knowledge about coastal dynamics is produced, legitimised and contested in shaping these protective measures. Drawing on multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork, including interviews and participant observation among ocean engineers, policymakers and artisanal fishers, we unravel the diverging and oftentimes contested epistemologies that shape how uncertain coastal futures are navigated. By examining the social entanglements with geomorphic processes such as sand movement and erosion, we show how different forms of knowledge adapt to the unpredictability of the sea, yet with uneven socio-spatial consequences, particularly for artisanal fishers. We argue that coastal protection practices are embedded in epistemic hierarchies that prioritise technical expertise and predictive science, rendering fishers' situated knowledges less legitimate in decision-making. By situating both livelihood practices and scientific modelling within their social and epistemic contexts, we demonstrate how confronting uncertainty can challenge power asymmetries that shape knowledge production. Rather than defaming engineering knowledge, we call for complementary approaches that recognise uncertainty, complexity and the value of co-produced knowledge. Situating fishers' knowledges alongside modelling practices provides openings for re-politicising adaptation and rethinking whose expertise counts in shaping coastal futures.

Along the southern coast of India, hard protective infrastructure has become the default response to increasingly frequent cyclones and severe coastal erosion. However, such interventions not only intensify erosion by disrupting sand movement, but also obscure its root causes, which are often contested through diverging narratives and knowledge claims about the sand and the sea. Making use of the burgeoning literature on ‘geosociality’ and ‘situated knowledges’, this paper interrogates how knowledge about coastal dynamics is produced, legitimised and contested in shaping these protective measures. Drawing on multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork, including interviews and participant observation among ocean engineers, policymakers and artisanal fishers, we unravel the diverging and oftentimes contested epistemologies that shape how uncertain coastal futures are navigated. By examining the social entanglements with geomorphic processes such as sand movement and erosion, we show how different forms of knowledge adapt to the unpredictability of the sea, yet with uneven socio-spatial consequences, particularly for artisanal fishers. We argue that coastal protection practices are embedded in epistemic hierarchies that prioritise technical expertise and predictive science, rendering fishers' situated knowledges less legitimate in decision-making. By situating both livelihood practices and scientific modelling within their social and epistemic contexts, we demonstrate how confronting uncertainty can challenge power asymmetries that shape knowledge production. Rather than defaming engineering knowledge, we call for complementary approaches that recognise uncertainty, complexity and the value of co-produced knowledge. Situating fishers' knowledges alongside modelling practices provides openings for re-politicising adaptation and rethinking whose expertise counts in shaping coastal futures.

Without (land) titles, Quilombolas (an Afro-descendant community) are exposed to invasion and displacement from big companies, ranchers, farmers and land grabbers. —Fabio Nogueira, Menino Jesus Quilombola leader

601974

The OSCE concluded a two-day specialized workshop on 19 and 20 November in Bishkek aimed at strengthening Kyrgyzstan’s capacity to supervise, investigate, and effectively respond to money-laundering risks linked to virtual assets and blockchain-based finance. The training brought together around 35 representatives of the State Financial Intelligence Service, law-enforcement bodies, supervisory authorities, and financial-sector institutions.

In her opening remarks, Vera Strobachova-Budway, Senior Economic Officer and Head of the Economic Governance Unit at the OSCE Secretariat, underlined the importance of equipping national actors to operate in an evolving digital-finance environment. “Through this workshop, the OSCE is pleased to support Kyrgyzstan in enhancing its supervisory and investigative response to virtual-asset-related risks. The rapid growth of digital financial tools brings new opportunities but also new vulnerabilities, and strong institutional readiness is essential for protecting the integrity of the financial system,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the German Embassy, Luisa Fleischer, Attaché for Culture, Press and Public Affairs, emphasized Germany’s commitment to strengthening global anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) efforts: “Germany is proud to be one of the donors of this important project. In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, supporting our partners in addressing emerging risks linked to virtual assets is essential for safeguarding financial stability and security.”

Representing local authorities, Ruslan Dzhumadilov, Deputy Chairman of the State Financial Intelligence Unit, welcomed the initiative and highlighted the practical value of OSCE support: “Virtual assets are increasingly becoming part of the financial landscape, and with that come new risks for our institutions and citizens. Strengthening our expertise in this area is crucial, and we highly appreciate the OSCE’s continued support in helping Kyrgyzstan develop effective supervisory and investigative responses.”

The workshop programme included  expert-led sessions on blockchain technology, typologies of virtual-asset-related crimes, international AML/CFT standards, and best practices in tracing, freezing, and recovering crypto-assets. Participants examined emerging criminal schemes – such as KYC-renting, anonymous online marketplaces, and the use of Telegram-based bots – and discussed proactive approaches to supervision, STR processing, and inter-agency co-operation.

The workshop was organized by the OSCE Office of the Co-ordinator of Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), as part of the OSCE extrabudgetary project “Innovative Policy Solutions to Mitigate Money-Laundering Risks of Virtual Assets”. The project receives financial support from Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

601971 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Integration policies are an effective way to prevent conflicts, says OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities at conference in Estonia

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp visited Estonia from 10 to 14 November 2025, where he delivered the opening speech at the International Conference on Integration “Unity and diversity – searching for balance”.

“Integration is a two-way process that requires openness, dialogue and participation from all sides. It means ensuring that every individual feels that they belong: that they have a stake in the common future, that their voice matters, and that they can preserve and express their own cultural, linguistic and ethnic identities,” said Kamp at the conference, which was organized by the Estonian Integration Foundation – a longstanding partner of the office of the HCNM – on 12 November in Tallinn.

“This shared sense of belonging – unity, in a way – is what transforms diversity from a potential source of tension into a source of strength,” he said.

Kamp took the opportunity of his visit to discuss Estonia’s evolving integration policies and recent legislative developments with representatives of the Government. He met with Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Undersecretary for Global Affairs at the Foreign Ministry Minna-Liina Lind, Secretary General at the Education Ministry Triin Laasi-Õige, Deputy Secretary General for Internal Security

at the Interior Ministry Joosep Kaasik, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise, and representatives of the Culture Ministry.

He also met with representatives of the Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) and public TV channel ETV+ to discuss the role of media in fostering social cohesion. At the Integration Foundation, he gained insight into Estonia’s integration strategies and tools, including evidence-based integration monitoring. At the Estonian Institute of Historical Memory, he had the opportunity to discuss the role of historical narratives in diverse societies.

The High Commissioner also travelled to Narva to learn more about the integration challenges and opportunities in a region with a significant Russian-speaking minority. He met with members of the Cultural Council of National Minorities, representing Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Tatar, Jewish and other communities, at the Estonian Language House. He also discussed the ongoing education reform and its impact on minority communities in the region with local education practitioners.