Central Europe

546959 Kunduz Rysbek

A two-day training "Economic diplomacy as an effective tool for economic development" was held in Bishkek. It started on May 27 and ended on June 17.

The training was organized within the OSCE project "Economic Interconnectedness and Export Promotion" in cooperation with the 6th Political Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The development of economic diplomacy in the context of its economic development and international cooperation plays an important role for any country, including Kyrgyzstan. The development of economic ties with other countries contributes to attracting foreign investment into the country, as well as promoting exports by expanding export opportunities for goods and services produced in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek works together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic and emphasizes the important mission of the Department of Economic Diplomacy in protecting and promoting the interests of our country in the international arena. We hope that information on current trends in the development of economic diplomacy, as well as practical aspects of the implementation of economic diplomacy, will pay off and benefit the development of economic diplomacy in Kyrgyzstan.

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On 20 to 22 June 2023, the OSCE and regional partners held a capacity-building course in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan for professors of higher education institutions on the OSCE-developed curriculum on "Crime Prevention and Culture of Lawfulness".

The curriculum aims to equip university students in Kyrgyzstan with knowledge about the risks and consequences of criminal behaviour, including organized crime, corruption, and illegal drug use.

38 professors from 18 universities across Kyrgyzstan got a chance to enhance their knowledge on organized crime, corruption, and illegal drug use, as well as to learn effective teaching methodologies to further strengthen students’ resilience and reduce their likelihood of engaging in illegal and corrupt activities.

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) have developed the curriculum and delivered the course in co-operation with the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the Ministry of Education and Science of Kyrgyzstan.

The curriculum is set to be launched during the new 2023/2024 academic year in 18 universities across Kyrgyzstan, and will be available to over 1,000 students. It is part of the OSCE-wide multi-year project: “Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption”, which is funded by Germany and Poland. Other donors supporting this project are Andorra and Italy.

546884 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 22 June, the OSCE Secretariat welcomed a group of international students to Vienna for a summer school visit aimed at providing hands-on experience of the Organization's programmatic activities. This visit offered participants an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the OSCE's comprehensive approach to security.

During the visit, participants (28 women, 12 men) had the chance to explore various aspects of the OSCE's work, including our three-dimensional concept of security. The programme shed light on the Organization's support to participating States in areas such as combating trafficking in human beings, economic and environmental issues as well as transnational organized crime, in particular the role of women in organized crime groups and combating illicit trafficking in cultural property.

One of the highlights was a practical group activity based on a fictitious case scenario, where participants could step into the shoes of an OSCE staff member who is developing a specialized project to prevent youth crime. In this way, they gained valuable insights into how we develop our programmatic work in general, and specifically how we work to address transnational crime. The experience also served as a networking experience, giving students the opportunity to identify areas on which they may wish to build their careers.

"Young people are the experts and practitioners that will build the comprehensive security of the future. We are excited to welcome international students to Vienna and letting them experience the diversity of the OSCE's programmatic activities up close," said Martha Stickings, Deputy Head of the Strategic Police Matters Unit in the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department.

"This educational visit offers a valuable opportunity to the students to learn about the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security and its leadership in promoting the rule of law, justice and human rights. Our students especially appreciate the chance to participate in the hands-on exercise on youth crime prevention," highlighted Professor Yuliya Zabyelina from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

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OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Lara Scarpitta concluded her visit to Uzbekistan, following three days of intensive discussions and field visits organized with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

During her visit Scarpitta launched the OSCE regional event on “Strategies and actions to support gender-based violence survivors in Central Asia”, organized within the framework of the WIN project, which aims to strengthen co-operation among Women Resource Centres and civil society organizations. She also met the committed staff of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

“The Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan is doing impressive work to mainstream gender across all three OSCE dimensions and all its staff members – both women and men – are meaningfully engaged in this process,” said Ambassador Clemens Koja, Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

The Senior Gender Adviser met with the UN Resident Co-ordinator Consuelo Vidal Bruce and Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Uzbekistan Charlotte Adriaen. The talks focused on concrete areas of co-operation in supporting the fight against gender-based violence, advancing women’s empowerment and the needs of Afghan women in the region.

Strengthening accountability, criminalization of domestic and sexual violence and punishing perpetrators, to ensure protection against gender-based violence were the focus of discussions with Deputy Chairperson of the Supreme Court Khalilo Turakhujaev and the Deputy Prosecutor General Svetlana Artikova. Scarpitta also met with Colonel Umida Abdullaeva, Head of the Department for Women’s and Social Affairs of the Crime Prevention Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.  In addition, Senior Gender Adviser had a meeting with Nozimakhon Davletova, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Public Foundation for Support and Development of National Mass Media of Uzbekistan. They discussed the importance of continuing efforts to eradicate harmful stereotypes in society and create opportunities for women to achieve their economic independence.

“I welcome the effort of the authorities of Uzbekistan in advancing gender equality and addressing violence against women and girls, including through the recent criminalization of domestic violence. The OSCE and the Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, in close co-operation with civil society and our international partners, stands ready to continue supporting efforts for meaningful participation of women in peace and security matters, advance women’s economic empowerment and prevent and respond to all forms of gender-based violence,” Scarpitta said.

While in Tashkent, she also held discussions with women-led civil society organizations and visited the Monocenter “Ishga Marhamat” and the Republican Center for the Rehabilitation and Adaptation of Women.

GENEVA, 23 June 2023 – The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, and the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Gillian Triggs, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reinforce the long-standing co-operation between their respective institutions under common areas of mandated responsibilities. This includes, in particular, the interface between the protection of displaced and stateless persons and the role of the HCNM as an instrument of conflict prevention at the earliest possible stage in regard to tensions involving national minorities.

Addressing and preventing statelessness among persons belonging to national minorities, including the Roma, has been in focus of the OSCE High Commissioner’s consultations with a number of OSCE participating States. In particular, the OSCE High Commissioner emphasized the importance of ensuring that no child is born stateless. This is necessary to ensure that all children in society can access their fundamental rights and feel a sense of belonging. He, therefore, encouraged all participating States to enhance their birth registration procedures, particularly in relation to those communities with an increased risk of statelessness.

“My Institution continues to emphasize the importance of preventing statelessness among national minorities in the OSCE region. This is an important factor in conflict prevention. I therefore look forward to continuing to support the participating States in their efforts to both prevent and address statelessness as this is an area which requires systemic attention,” said Abdrakhmanov.

Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Gillian Triggs reiterated the importance of the Memorandum.  “We appreciate the efforts of the OSCE to address statelessness, which to this date remains one of the most pressing human rights violations in the world, and which often disproportionately affects minorities. In fact, the majority of the world’s known stateless populations belong to minority groups. We look forward to our strengthened partnership with the OSCE, working together in pursuit of our mutual objectives to prevent and resolve statelessness, and to foster more inclusive and cohesive societies where nobody is left behind.”

High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov expressed his deep appreciation for the co-operation with the UNHCR and especially for the insightful and constructive discussions during his visit to Geneva. “I am thankful for our productive work together on a number of cross-cutting issues such as statelessness which will benefit societies as a whole throughout the OSCE region, and look forward to enhancing this co-operation. The day-to-day challenges of displaced people can also add to tensions in society, which is relevant to my conflict prevention mandate. This is an area in which our institutions could work more closely together in the future.”

546887 Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 22 June 2023 – Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Brian Aggeler, visited Stolac today, engaging in meetings with city officials, religious leaders, and representatives from the NGO sector.

Ambassador Aggeler met with Stolac Mayor Stjepan Bošković, and discussed the ongoing co-operation between the Mission, its Mostar Field Office, and the City administration. They also discussed ongoing initiatives and activities on strengthening co-operation with religious communities, the education reform processes, and social cohesion efforts.

At his meeting with Orhan Tikveša, President of Majlis of the Islamic Community Stolac, Ambassador Aggeler praised the Islamic Community’s continuous advocacy for equal enjoyment of freedom of religion or belief and highlighted the importance of inter-religious dialogue as well as strengthening co-operation with municipal authorities.

Ambassador Aggeler used this opportunity to meet with Minva Hasić, President of the women’s association Orhideja, Domagoj Vujnović NGO Products of Mediterranean Herzegovina and Džemal Tucaković, representative of the Stolac City Orchestra. At this meeting with CSOs, Ambassador Aggeler highlighted to the important role CSO have in bolstering social cohesion, stating “Your efforts in enhancing social cohesion and recognizing the potential of cultural projects in boosting collaboration and promoting positive stories from Stolac are truly admirable and inspiring."

CHISINAU/VIENNA, 21 June 2023 - The Special Representative of the North Macedonia OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting, welcomed yesterday’s meeting in Bender in the “1+1” format between the Moldovan and Transdniestrian Chief Negotiators, Oleg Serebrian and Vitaly Ignatiev.

“At a time when the ongoing war has greatly affected our work in the settlement process, dialogue and engagement between the Sides contribute to stability. This remains essential in the interest of the people living on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River,” the Special Representative said.

He added that yesterday’s meeting “also represents a positive development in the overall context of the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in its established format”.

During the meeting, facilitated by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Kelly Keiderling, the Chief Negotiators discussed issues including the freedom of movement and human rights, as well as access to the Dubasari farmlands, vehicle registration and the importation of medical equipment to Transdniestria. The meeting was also attended by representatives of mediators and observers of the “5+2” format.

“It is very important that efforts in the interest of dialogue between the Sides are pursued proactively and progress,” Ambassador Mayr-Harting insisted. “I will continue to support the indispensable work of the OSCE Mission to Moldova in this regard and will also continue to engage with the Sides, as well as with the other mediators and the observers with this goal in mind.”

546683 Nino Sukhitashvili OSCE Mission to Moldova

Between 13 and 16 June, art students and teaching staff of “Alexandru Plamadeala” Republican College of Fine Arts from Chisinau and “Victor Postoikin” Higher Education Art College in Bender took part in a four-day plein air, held in Old Orhei.

Over the four days of the plein air activity, 20 young women and men had the opportunity to express themselves on the topic of peace, thus contributing to peacebuilding through their own views. The students used modern IT artistic methods, as well as unique ancient art techniques, enhancing their practical skills through experts’ instruction and individual coaching. Their creative works will be displayed in art exhibitions in both Chisinau and Tiraspol later this year.

“Peace is when people are happy together, and each individual is also happy on his own. Peace is when we respect each other, when everyone is willing to co-operate and create a friendly atmosphere, whether it is a conversation in a small company or among all the inhabitants of the Earth,” said Daria Ponamorenko, student of “Victor Postoikin” Higher Education Art College.

“During the activity, I have had a wonderful experience, which enabled me to get out of my comfort zone”, another participant, student of “Alexandru Plamadeala” Republican College of Fine Arts. Ludmila Negara noted. 

The Mission has engaged art students and teaching staff into a series of joint educational events since May 2023. More than 40 students of art colleges from both banks of Dniester/Nistru River have participated in four practical workshops on graphic design, graphic illustration, levkas art (painting of iconography) and stained glass. The educational events gave students the opportunities to learn and experiment with new skills, but also establish and engage with new contacts. Art teachers Ion Nita, Luminita Ermurachi, Svetlana Nazarova and Anastasia Svet conducted the workshops, designed to provide a supportive and inspiring environment. 

The events were organized within the framework of the Mission’s project “Peace Through Art on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River”, aimed at building confidence and trust between the art community from both banks.

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On 20 and 21 June 2023, over 60 participants representing a wide range of government and civil society organizations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as regional and international organizations convened in a workshop in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The event was organized by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) in partnership with adelphi, a Berlin-based think tank.

Building on the results of the Regional consultation on climate change and security in Central Asia, the workshop enabled discussions on climate-related challenges in high mountain areas and lowlands and explored opportunities for co-operation to address these challenges.

Across Central Asia, temperatures are expected to rise by 2.5-6.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. This makes the entire region increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including droughts, desalination, high temperatures, heat waves, heavy precipitation, mudflows, floods, and avalanches.

“Climate change impacts do not exist in isolation from insecurity and instability.  When states co-operate with each other in tackling climate change and preserving shared natural resources, this contributes to good neighbourly relations, prosperity, stability and security.  This is the essence of the 2021 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on climate change and the OSCE’s work in the field of climate change and security, including in the Central Asia region” said Igli Hasani, Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.

During the workshop, participants discussed challenges like livelihood insecurity in mountain areas, the implications of glacial melting for natural resource management in highlands and lowlands, early warning to address hazards arising from glacial melting, and migration. After considering these shared challenges participants were able to explore potential areas of co-operation, helping them better address these issues at regional and transboundary levels while ensuring the active involvement of women and youth.

“Climate-related challenges are especially evident in Central Asia’s high mountain areas. There, climate change is accelerating glacial melting, thereby threatening the capacity of glaciers to store critical water resources for the entire region, while also posing a number of hazard risks. It is also likely to affect the livelihoods of many communities living in these mountain areas. Therefore, efforts to foster regional co-operation to address these risks are urgently needed”, highlighted Beatrice Mosello, Senior Advisor at adelphi. 

The regional workshop “Towards enhanced co-operation for addressing climate-related security risks in Central Asia” was organized within the framework of the OSCE project Strengthening responses to security risks from climate change in South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia, which is implemented in partnership with adelphi and in close collaboration with the OSCE Field Operations.

The project is funded by Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

SKOPJE, 20 June 2023 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, reiterated his call for the de-escalation of tensions in northern Kosovo and urged all parties to give room to the EU-facilitated Dialogue following the communication with First Deputy Prime Minister responsible for foreign policy and security and Foreign Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kosovo Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz.

He appealed to Serbia to grant immediate access to the detained Kosovo police officers and to ensure their swift release. 

Chairman Osmani stressed the importance that the authorities in Prishtinë/Priština adhere to the Roadmap for De-escalation and Normalization to achieve peace and stability and emphasized the role of KFOR in providing a safe and secure environment in Kosovo’s northern municipalities. 

“It is crucial for all parties to work towards peace, the OSCE stands ready to support,” concluded Osmani.

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Improvements in prevention, law enforcement, prosecution and judicial review of sexual violence cases in times of war were the focus of discussions among more than 150 legal professionals, officials and civil society organisations during the of the 4th Forum of Women Lawyers held on 16 June. The event was organized by NGO Association of Women Lawyers “YurFem” with the support of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine. The discussion, available online, focused on drafting a roadmap to improvements in three key areas – overall legal response to sexual violence, dealing with war-related cases and incidents of violence against minors.

“I do hope the exchange of ideas here will help to bring the perpetrators to justice at the national and international levels. This justice is what all the survivors expect and should receive,” - said Pierre Baussand, the OSCE Support Programme Manager welcoming participants of the Forum.  “As for the roadmap that should put an end to sexual violence in Ukraine… let’s try to make the road as short as possible so that women can have a safe life,” he added.

Elaborated proposals include, inter alia, recommendation to establish regular monitoring and analysis of investigation and prosecution of sexual violence cases; specialized trainings for justice sector professionals and local authorities on handling war-related incidents; introduction of assistance to survivors of war-related sexual violence, including rehabilitation programmes and legal provisions enabling emergency reparations; efforts to protect survivors and witnesses; improvement of practices in forensic expertise.  When the Forum’s organizers finalize gathering of the input from the participants of the event the roadmap will be handed over to authorities and shared with the public as an analytical guidance on further reforms.  

In a parallel, on 15 June 2023 the OSCE Support Programme trained 20 judges of first instance courts, appeal courts, and the Supreme Court on identification of gender sensitive cases in their practice, review of the sexual violence crimes, including those committed during the war and relevant ECHR practice. The effort implemented in partnership with the National School of Judges will help the trainees to review such cases in line with international standards, as well as promote gender-sensitive approach in justice.

These project efforts are part of the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine, implemented with financial contributions from participating states and partners, full list of donors is available here. 

546572 OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and Turkmenistan’s authorities agree to strengthen co-operation on education and integration of society The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies The Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life Effective participation and inclusion of national minorities in focus of OSCE meeting in Turkmenistan Multilingual education - strengthening inclusive societies

During a working visit to the Republic of Turkmenistan from 12 to 16 June 2023, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov met with representatives of the national and regional authorities. The visit included meetings with high-level officials in Ashgabat and the Dashoguz region and presented an opportunity to further intensify the ongoing co-operation between the Republic of Turkmenistan and the OSCE HCNM in areas of education and integration of society.

High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov had fruitful discussions with the Chairperson of the Mejlis Dunyagozel Gulmanova, the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov, the Minister of Education Gurbangul Atayeva, Ombudsperson Yazdursun Gurbannazarova, the Hyakim (Governor) of Dashoguz velayat (region) Nazarmyrat Nazarmyradov and other high-level officials.

It was observed that co-operation between the office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the authorities of Turkmenistan has reached a new level, with education as one of the main priority areas.  The relevant parties agreed to continue working on the implementation of the Memorandum of Co-operation between the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan and the OSCE HCNM, as well as within the framework of the National Human Rights Action Plan in Turkmenistan for 2021-2025.

On 15 June, a roundtable on “Good practices of the OSCE participating States in promoting the effective participation of national minorities in public life, including consultative mechanisms” was co-hosted by the office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, the Government of Turkmenistan, and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. It attracted a number of participants from the relevant authorities and academia of Turkmenistan. During his presentation, Abdrakhmanov recommended two sets of HCNM Guidelines and Recommendations: The Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies and The Lund Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Public Life. Both offer a useful roadmap for policymakers and educationalists.

International experts from Estonia and Lithuania who were present at the roundtable shared existing practices of the OSCE participating States in creating a consultative mechanism for national minorities to enhance the integration process in diverse societies.

546494 Kunduz Rysbek

About 50 state officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Prosecutor General’s Office, the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic and private sector representatives have participated at the specialized training seminars on joint financial investigations: “Best Practices in Terrorist Financing and Money Laundering Investigations”, conducted in Osh (May 17-19) and Issyk-Kul (June 19-21). For the first time, the state officials from the Penitentiary Service under the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic were invited to discuss issues related to financial investigations.

During the trainings, lectors have elaborated on the role and possibilities of financial intelligence in the investigation of cases related to money laundering (ML) and terrorist financing (TF), discussed the interaction between the subjects of the national system for combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism (AML / CFT) and talked about the experiences in conducting joint financial investigations. In addition, the LEA representatives had a chance to lead trial practical exercises on investigation of real cases related to ML and FT using the analytical software “Graphus”, which was granted to the Training Center by the Rosfinmonitoring during the 38th EAG Plenary meeting.

Using “Graphus” allows to gain practical experience in financial investigations and develop skills in analyzing data arrays and finding optimal solutions.

The last session day was dedicated to profiling training and its general characteristics, as this will particularly increase the professional level of employees of investigative and operational units in lie detection and verification of information, which will help to increase the efficiency of procedural, investigative actions and operational-search activities.

These trainings are aimed at enhancing the knowledge of the representatives of the law-enforcement agencies and private sector, raise awareness on the nature of the terrorist financing (TF) risks and increase the personnel potential.

The trainings were organized in the framework of the OSCE UB project “Supporting the Kyrgyz Republic in improvement of the national AML/CFT system”. The project contributes to the improvement of the national AML/CFT system, strengthening of international and interagency cooperation, as well as improving the professional skills of employees.

WARSAW, 20 June 2023 – By making refugee integration a priority as a long-term and sustainable response to forced migration, we support refugees in their journey to rebuild their lives and foster inclusive societies that strengthen the fabric of our communities, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on the occasion of World Refugee Day.

“The journey of a refugee does not end when they arrive in their host country,” said ODIHR Director Matteo Mecacci. “By actively supporting integration, governments provide refugees with the stability they need to move forwards with their lives and at the same time allow their skills and experience to benefit our societies.”

Dialogue is key in promoting mutual respect and understanding between increasingly diverse communities. States and civil society need to both support and take part in public dialogue initiatives that bring together migrants, refugees and host communities, as breaking down stereotypes and learning from each other are vital for successful integration. For this reason, ODIHR has been training civil society in different countries to organize public dialogues on migration and diversity with refugees and other communities.

While migration policy is generally set and coordinated nationally, migrant and refugee integration and inclusion measures often take shape at the regional and local level. Cities therefore play a crucial role in accommodating and integrating refugees, and governments need to increase the capacity of cities to respond effectively to the presence of refugees, including by providing adequate housing, education, healthcare, and employment opportunities.

ODIHR contributes to these efforts through its training courses for national and local authorities across the OSCE region on good practices in migrant and refugee integration, also focusing on the specific challenges of migrant and refugee integration in cities.

Integration support does not exclude the possibility of refugees returning to their countries and contributing to their rebuilding after military conflict. States therefore also need to ensure that integration programmes help refugees to maintain ties with their home countries and prepare for their eventual return if they so wish and conditions allow.

All OSCE countries have recognized the need for cooperation to ensure refugees receive the support they need. They have also committed to finding long-term solutions to protect and assist all those who have been forced by conflict or persecution to flee their homes. By actively supporting refugee integration and learning from successful models, states and civil society can build inclusive and resilient communities, provide refugees with a dignified life, and promote social cohesion across the OSCE region.

On 19 June 2023, the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA), in co-operation with the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the Programme Office in Bishkek, launched a comprehensive awareness raising campaign throughout Kyrgyzstan on preventing youth involvement in organized crime, corruption and drug use.

With the motto and hashtag #KolubuzdanKelet (Kyrgyz for: “We can do it!”), the campaign aims to raise awareness among young people in Kyrgyzstan about the importance of  the rule of law and integrity, as well as strengthening youth resilience to being involved in criminal and corrupt activities.

The campaign involves some of Kyrgyzstan’s leading influencers, bloggers, artists, youth activists, and athletes. By showcasing individuals who have achieved success through lawful, ethical, and constructive means, the campaign seeks to not only inspire young people but also to provide tangible examples of the positive paths they can follow.

The campaign aims to reach over 1 million young people in Kyrgyzstan over two months of implementation through Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, as well as through national TV channels in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan. The campaign videos will also be featured by the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

The campaign has been developed and launched within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on youth crime prevention signed between the OSCE and the Government of Kyrgyzstan in April 2022. The development of the campaign was facilitated by multi-stakeholder working groups and consultations established in the framework of the MoU, which consisted of relevant state authorities and civil society in Kyrgyzstan.

The campaign is being implemented under the OSCE-wide multi-year extra-budgetary project, Enhancing youth crime and drug use prevention through education on legality and awareness campaigns addressing threats of organized crime and corruption, funded by Germany. Other donors supporting this project are Andorra, Italy and Poland.

546485 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized a study visit to Barcelona, Spain for six representatives of the Union of Women Judges of the Republic of Tajikistan on 13-15 June 2023. The Tajik officials learned from their Spanish counterparts the best practices of improving women and girls' access to justice, increasing gender sensitivity in cases of violence against girls and women, eliminating gender stereotypes in judicial proceedings and protecting child rights.

The Tajik officials met with the representatives of the Spanish Association of Women Judges, the School of Justice, judges of the City of Justice, the Catalan Women’s Institute and other partners. The sides exchanged information about Tajikistan and Spain’s experiences in legislative changes on the rights of women, children and teenagers. The members of the Union also had a tour of the City of Justice and got acquainted with the work of different courts and their respective departments.

“The most important principles of our Association are belief in feminism and to do our best to protect the rights of women and children in Spain. Our country has many challenges in the judiciary system, however, we have achieved many positive results in gender mainstreaming and increasing the representation of women,” said Isabel Gimenez Garcia, a member of the Spanish Association of Women Judges.

“The trip helped the members of the Union to learn the structure of the Spanish Association of Women Judges and familiarize themselves with the best practices of improving the living standards of women, children and adolescents, protecting their rights, combating gender inequality and violence against women and girls. We hope to increase the capacity of the Tajik judges in training courses, round table events and analysis of judicial practices on gender mainstreaming in the judiciary system,” said Mavjuda Pulodi, Chair of the Union of Women Judges of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The Union of Women Judges of the Republic of Tajikistan was established with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe on 30 May 2022. The Union consists of 94 women judges representing the Constitutional, Economic, and Supreme Courts.

Ambassador Brian Aggeler at meeting with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Radovan Višković Željka Šulc

BANJA LUKA, 19 June 2023 - Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Brian Aggeler, concluded his two-day visit to Banja Luka and Prijedor, where he actively participated in the Banja Luka TrotoArt festival and held meetings with political and non-governmental representatives.

Ambassador Aggeler joined street performers and various artists at the TrotoArt manifestation, organized by the City of Banja Luka, and engaged in a drawing activity with children and youth.

"Being part of the lively TrotoArt festival has truly been a remarkable opportunity to witness and celebrate the exceptional artistic talent and creative spirit of Banja Luka," said Ambassador Aggeler.

During his visit to Banja Luka, Ambassador Aggeler had a constructive meeting with Republika Srpska Prime Minister Radovan Višković, discussing the current socioeconomic and political situation in the entity, as well as ongoing reform processes.

Furthermore, the visit provided an opportunity for the Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH to meet with the President of the RS National Minority Council, Ms. Maja Kremenović, and the President of the RS Union of National Minorities, Mr. Franjo Rover. The discussions focused on the development and implementation of relevant strategic documents aimed at enhancing the status and well-being of national minorities in RS, as well as the rest of BiH.

Continuing his visit in Prijedor on 19 June, Ambassador Aggeler met with Seida Karabašić, President of the NGO Izvor, and Vesna Šolaja and Rezija Mujkanović, President and representative of the Women’s Association "Rudarka" from Ljubija. Ambassador Aggeler commended the valuable role of women's associations in the Prijedor area as important peacebuilders. He extended his support to their initiatives, efforts, and networking with other civil society organizations, which are crucial for the implementation of trust-building activities in Prijedor.

"It is essential to highlight that all trust-building activities are valuable for advancing community relations and community cohesion in BiH," emphasized Ambassador Aggeler, highlighting the significance of fostering mutual understanding and healing wounds from the past.

During a meeting with Fikret Bačić, a representative of the Prijedor Association of Parents of Killed Children during 1992-1995, and a representative of the Youth Center Kvart, Ambassador Aggeler reaffirmed the Mission's readiness to provide support for restarting discussions on the construction of a monument to the killed children of Prijedor, as well as for various trust-building initiatives.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina remains committed to supporting community cohesion and fostering lasting peace-building efforts.

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From 12 to 16 June 2023, the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the General Directorate of Prisons, organized a training seminar for 25 senior prison staff of the special regime in high security prisons, the Prisons Internal Oversight Service, and the General Directorate.

The special regime – introduced in Albania in 2020 based on the Italian 41-bis model – puts several restrictions on the offenders, which, if applied improperly, may lead to violations of human rights.

The training provided the participants with the concepts, tools and skills to manage the high-risk offenders in the special regime. It focused on the specialization of prison staff on both security aspect and the management of high-risk inmates in compliance with the international human rights standards.

“This very valuable training aims for the special regime to be functional in the effective prevention of organized crime networks within the prison system and to minimize the possibility of orchestrating criminal activities from behind bars. It is part of the efforts of the Ministry of Justice and the General Directorate of Prisons to fight organized crime and maintain public safety. We are thankful to the OSCE Presence for being one of the main supporters of the efforts to reform the prison system,” said Admir Abrija, General Director of Prisons.

Director of Prison Police Paulin Rajta and Head of the OSCE Presence’s Rule of Law and Human Rights Department Cailean Maclean also spoke at the event. Brigadier General Mauro D’Amico – a former director of the Italian Penitentiary Police’s Gruppo Operativo Mobile, with a vast experience on the 41-bis regime – provided substantial contribution to the training.

In parallel, on 15 June, the Presence and the General Directorate of Prisons also organized a consultative roundtable on the special regime and its challenges. The event saw the participation or about 30 judges, prosecutors and senior staff of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure, and representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office, State Informative Service, State Police, General Directorate of Prisons and others.

Earlier this month, the Presence finalized a training curriculum of the special regime prison staff, which will be incorporated in the professional training curriculum for prison staff delivered by the General Directorate of Prisons.

These activities build upon the Presence’s support to prison reform in Albania over the years and its active involvement in promoting the rights of people in detention. Most recently, in December 2022, the Presence organized a study visit for Albanian officials to the Italian special detention regime 41-bis facilities.

Apart from the special regime, the Presence has contributed to the achievements in the penitentiary system by offering legislative support to the legal package on the penitentiary system; working on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization that Lead to Terrorism in prisons and probation settings; and establishing a Master’s Programme in Criminology at Tirana University.

The OSCE Presence will continue to provide support to the penitentiary reform in Albania.

546303 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 12 to 16 June 2023, gender-responsive policing of violence against women and girls (VAWG) was the focus of a national specialized training course in Bar. The training was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) in co-ordination with the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

A total of 23 police officers and prosecutors (11 women and 12 men) from the municipalities of Montenegro developed their skills in effectively responding to cases of VAWG, while maintaining a victim-/survivor-centred approach. The five-day course covered topics such as causes and cycles of violence, violence prevention, harmful biases, attitudes and stereotypes, risk assessment, victim/survivor protection protocols, referral mechanisms, and inter-agency co-operation.

The training course was delivered by national experts, who benefited from the Regional Train-the-Trainers Course on Gender-responsive Policing of VAWG, organized by TNTD last year in Warsaw, Poland.

“This training is an important milestone in the fight against gender-based violence in Montenegro, as it complements the OSCE’s ongoing efforts in combatting this crime at the national level and beyond,” said Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

Bjorn Tore Saltvik, manager of the project, underlined that “the initial responses provided by law enforcement institutions to victims of gender-based violence crimes are crucial for the safety of the victims themselves, as well as for the successful investigation and prosecution of such crimes. These responses should be victim-centered, meaning they should prioritize the well-being, support, and rights of the victims throughout the entire process. In doing so, law enforcement institutions can better address the needs of survivors and facilitate a more effective pursuit of justice”.

As part of their continued support of criminal justice practitioners from South-Eastern Europe in their fight against VAWG, TNTD will deliver similar training courses to law enforcement in Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia throughout 2023, in addition to the one already delivered in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

These activities will contribute to the full implementation of the Council of Europe’s Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) in the countries covered by the project Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe.

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On 14 June, the OSCE organized a regional workshop on energy co-operation and natural resource management in Central Asia within the context of the situation in Afghanistan. The event gathered around 30 policymakers and experts from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to discuss possible ways forward.

“The crisis in Afghanistan has a pronounced regional dimension, and it is important for Central Asian governments to develop joint strategies and further regional co-operation efforts to tackle common energy and environmental security challenges in the long-term”, Christian Melis, Environmental Governance Officer said.

The event offered an opportunity to present and discuss the projects’ preliminary findings, and to identify a common regional approach to mitigating the consequences of the security and humanitarian situation in Afghanistan for Central Asia. Furthermore, it elaborated an implementation roadmap for the two projects in coordination with national partners and experts.

The workshop, hosted in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, was a joint initiative of two OSCE projects. The project “Addressing vulnerabilities and improving resilience in communities in the Central Asian border regions with Afghanistan: natural resource management” focused on enhancing the resilience of border communities in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on natural resources management.

The second project “Strengthening Energy Sector Co-operation and Analysis in Central Asia in the Context of Afghanistan’s Energy Crisis” aims to provide up-to-date data and analysis on energy trade and cooperation, as well as developing a regional framework to help address the impact of the Afghan crisis on regional energy security.

The projects are part of the wider OSCE Response to the Implications of Afghanistan for the OSCE Region (RIAOR), launched by the OSCE Secretary General in 2021.