Central Europe

STOCKHOLM, 29 March 2023 – The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey, and UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten, expressed their grave concern about the harm of sexual exploitation, and sexual violence and its cost for the whole of society, as a result of the ongoing war against Ukraine.

The two Special Representatives made the following statement on the margins of the Conference on Prevention Models to Address the Demand that Fosters Trafficking for Sexual Purposes, under the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union:

“More than 8 million people have fled Ukraine since the war began, generating the largest refugee crisis since the Second World War. As the war drags on, rising food and energy prices put pressure on national economies and on the most vulnerable people. We must ensure that an emergency response is accompanied by sustainable solutions that increase societies’ resilience against trafficking in persons, especially women and children, for the purpose of sexual exploitation and sexual violence.

We acknowledge that some decisive measures to prevent the trafficking and exploitation of displaced persons from Ukraine, such as information campaigns, hotlines, and training of frontline workers, have been promptly put in place. In line with UN Security Council Resolutions 2331 and 2388, as well as the OSCE recommendations[1], prevention and protection measures should be strengthened, inside and outside Ukraine. Law enforcement, border guards and security officers must be trained and equipped to identify and assist victims and potential victims. Investigators and prosecutors should be given adequate resources and enhance information-sharing networks to ensure accountability for trafficking and any underlying crimes. Victims of trafficking must receive holistic assistance and services for their physical, psychological and socio-economic recovery as well as rehabilitation and reintegration.

Moreover, we must ensure that measures to prevent and combat trafficking adopt a gender-sensitive and survivor-centred approach ensuring that victims of trafficking are treated with dignity. Addressing the vulnerabilities of people on the move remains a priority. In addition, more co-ordinated efforts are required to effectively disrupt and dismantle the human trafficking business model. This includes adopting and implementing necessary legislation to hold traffickers accountable as well as anyone who contributes to trafficking, including facilitators and sex buyers who incentivize exploitation. 

We are extremely concerned that much of the trafficking activities now happen online. Coinciding with the massive displacement, there are large spikes in online searches for explicit content and sexual services from Ukrainians. This has created an alarming incentive for traffickers to recruit and exploit vulnerable women and children at scale.  It is urgent to root out those who create the demand and platforms that allow for this type of violence and exploitation to thrive. Self-regulation and voluntary safety measures implemented by technology companies have been largely ineffective.  States need to put in place policies mandating proactive monitoring and removals of exploitative materials, as well as mechanisms for public reporting and for shutting down abusive platforms.

In response to the increase of trafficking risks and in line with our international, regional and national obligations and commitments, we have a collective responsibility to prevent the current humanitarian crisis turning into a human trafficking crisis. We commit to scaling up and strengthening our actions to enhance the overall response to trafficking in human beings for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and all forms of sexual violence.’

[1] Recommendations of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings on the need to enhance anti-trafficking prevention amid mass migration flows | OSCE, March 2022 and Recommendations on enhancing efforts to identify and mitigate risks of trafficking in human beings online as a result of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine | OSCE, April 2022

ANKARA, 29 March 2023 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 14 May general elections in Türkiye, following an official invitation from the national authorities. 

The mission is headed by Ambassador Jan Petersen and consists of a core team of 14 international experts based in Ankara and 28 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 7 April. ODIHR will request 350 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day. 

The mission will assess the conduct of the elections for their compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.

Observers will closely monitor all aspects of the elections, including pre- and post-election developments. Specific areas of focus include the implementation of the legal framework, candidate registration, the conduct of the campaign including on social networks, as well as the work of the election administration at all levels, election dispute resolution and media coverage. They will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.

Meetings with representatives of state authorities, political parties and candidates, civil society, the media and the international community form an integral part of the observation.

On election day, the ODIHR mission will join efforts with the delegations of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to observe the opening of polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots and the tabulation of results.

An interim report will be published some three weeks prior to the elections to update the public and the media on the observation mission’s activities. The day after the elections, the mission’s preliminary findings and conclusions will be presented at a press conference. A final report with an assessment of the entire election process and containing recommendations will be published some months after the elections.

Media contacts:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR spokesperson: Katya.Andrusz@odihr.pl or +48 609 522 266

Egor Tilpunov, Media Analyst with the Election Observation Mission: egor.tilpunov@odihr-turkiye.org

540245 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

The OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) concluded its 34th Staff Course on 24 March 2023. Twenty-three mid to senior-ranking security and management officials from border, customs, migration, internal affairs, maritime security, and drug control agencies attended the course.

They represented fourteen OSCE Participating States and Partners for Cooperation, namely Azerbaijan, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Moldova, Mongolia, North Macedonia, Portugal, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Thailand, and Turkmenistan.

The course was comprised of seven study modules. The core course curriculum covered border security and management in the context of the OSCE’s three-dimensional comprehensive security concept. Topics covered during the course included the promotion of border security and management in the OSCE area, border security, and management models, organizational management and leadership, as well as basic learning and teaching skills. Participants of the course were also engaged in group research projects related to and covering the OSCE’s three dimensions of security.        

A roundtable discussion entitled “Co-operation in countering the threat of trafficking in human beings in the context of border security and management” was also conducted in the framework of the course. The event presented a unique opportunity to discuss the threat of trafficking of human beings in an open forum with representatives of law-enforcement agencies from countries of origin and destinations of trafficked persons as well as international organizations working in the field.

In her closing remarks, Dr. Tea Jaliashvili, Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, congratulated the participants and added that today, border guards and border control officials are under increased pressure, due to the ongoing conflicts in the OSCE region, and that she is confident, that the newly obtained knowledge has advanced their skills and capability enabling them to effectively respond to these new threats.

Beate Schmidt, a Deputy Intermediate Manager and a participant from Germany thanked the college for the unique opportunity and said that having a class as diverse in nations and characters to come and work together, posed the first challenge and yet was the most exciting part of the course. Ms. Schmidt enjoyed the Leadership and PNR/API sessions among all the other offerings and said that she would use the knowledge in reviewing her approach at the airport.

Elvin Orujov, a Deputy Head of Customs from Azerbaijan noted that the course represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him to enrich his professional knowledge on a wide variety of border-related subjects. He is going to implement certain points he learned in the course in his daily work such as SWOT analyses. He also noted the value of establishing professional connections and friendships that will last for many years to come.

This course concluded Phase II of the Border Management Staff College.

540266 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized regional training workshop on countering illicit trafficking of drugs and new psychoactive substances concluded on 29 March 2023.

Implemented in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the two-day event aimed to share effective ways to combat the trafficking of illicit drugs at the border. The regional event brought together, online and in-person, around 100 officials from relevant border and anti-drugs agencies of the five Central Asian countries.

In his opening speech, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat, referred to the 2012 OSCE Permanent Council’s Decision No. 1048 on the OSCE Concept for Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs and the Diversion of Chemical Precursors, which stated that the world drug problem “remains a common and shared responsibility that requires effective and increased international co-operation and demands an integrated, multidisciplinary, mutually reinforcing and balanced approach.”

“Notably, the regional workshop facilitates the exchange of best practices on drug policy responses among border security and law enforcement officials from Central Asian countries,” he said.

“It is our hope that the workshop will provide a platform for greater international and regional co-operation to counter the impact of the world drug problem on regional security, stability and economic prosperity,” added MacGregor.

In the course of the event, representatives from five Central Asian countries presented national experiences of combating the new challenges of the drug threat in their respective countries. Experts from Turkiýe, Italy and the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre addressed a broad spectrum of issues, focusing on existing regional mechanisms for countering illicit drug trafficking, law enforcement and legislative measures, and modern border control systems for the identification of new psychoactive substances. The existing mechanisms of cross-border co-operation among law enforcement agencies in information sharing were also discussed.

The workshop is a good example of multi-stakeholder partnerships. Representatives from the UNODC, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department, the Border Management Programme in Central Asia as well as the Central Asia Drug Action Programme, presented their ongoing programmatic activities, aimed at the expansion of regional and international mechanisms in the fight against new drug threat challenges.

The regional training workshop is organized within the framework of the Centre’s extrabudgetary multi-donor project “Strengthening State Border Service Capacities of Turkmenistan” and supported financially by the Government of Japan.

Mirvete Islam, OSCE Mission to Skopje

The Ministry of Education and Science and the OSCE Mission to Skopje launched two calls for proposals under the Mission’s Building New Bridges’ project, which is designed to enhance relationship among youth from diverse backgrounds and languages during the school day and through joint extra-curricular activities. 

One call is for the Integrated Education Fund, which will provide support to public schools and municipalities to promote joint-curricular activities among children who learn in different languages.

The Call for proposals under the Integrated Education Fund is available at this link.

The second call is for the Youth Inter-cultural Arts Fund, which will provide funding for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to implement arts-based initiatives that promote inter-ethnic dialogue, combat discrimination and foster social cohesion.

The grant application for the Youth Inter-cultural Arts Fund is available here.

Both funding opportunities are part of the Mission’s efforts to fortify social cohesion through integrated education and youth empowerment under the auspices of Mission’s donors - the Kingdom of Norway, Poland and The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The project builds on the Mission’s previous work on inter-ethnic integration in education to advance democracy and social cohesion in the country, including the original Building Bridges Fund, which supported almost 200 schools and kindergartens to organize joint extra-curricular activities that directly benefiting more than 35,000 students.

540080 WIN for Women and Men. Strengthening comprehensive security through innovating and networking for gender equality. WHAT DOES IT TAKE – achieving equality for minority women

On 28 March, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid and High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) Kairat Abdrakhmanov presented the findings of the research on the intersectionality of gender and national minorities.

An event, organized by the office of the HCNM in co-operation with the Gender Issues Programme, aimed to draw the attention of OSCE participating States to the scarcity of comprehensive data on interlinkages between gender equality and national minority issues.

“This research shows that national minority women face unique challenges and obstacles, which should not go unnoticed or unaddressed,” said OSCE Secretary General Schmid. “It is essential to listen to them and their experiences and work together to strengthen their participation and rights – this will benefit the whole society”, she added.

The research found that minority women in need of support are often not aware of public services that are available. They also face specific challenges such as lacking personal documentation, and higher rates of poverty and unemployment. Traditional gender roles and expectations for girls to marry young and take care of their families are among the main reasons why minority girls drop out of school. For minority women, political participation is closely linked to engagement in civil society- a dimension that can be leveraged to boost involvement in public life.

Participants also discussed best practices that can support the full and equal involvement of national minority women in public life, improve their access to economic and social rights, and increase their participation in processes for peace and security.

High Commissioner Kairat Abdrakhmanov noted that achieving equality for minority women requires a multilayered approach to tackle an issue that is complex, multifaceted and often difficult to analyze. High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov stressed that factors such as socio-economic inequalities in society, structural discrimination, rural-urban divides and traditional gender roles should be accounted for and reflected in participating States’ policies. “Only then, will societies be truly inclusive and as such more resilient to crisis and conflict”, he added.

Participants highlighted that co-operation within and between participating States and larger multilateral structures is key to achieving sustainable equality. With this research project and event, the office of the HCNM and the Gender Issues Programme drew attention to the joint OSCE commitment to address exclusion and discrimination when it comes to national minority women. The research was commissioned under the WIN for Women and Men: Strengthening Comprehensive Security through Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality (WIN) project. This project advances gender equality to achieve and maintain stable, prosperous, and peaceful societies in the OSCE area.

TASHKENT, 28 March 2023 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened a limited referendum observation mission for the 30 April constitutional referendum in Uzbekistan, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

The mission is headed by Ambassador Albert Jónsson and consists of a core team of 10 international experts based in Tashkent and 14 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 5 April.

The mission will assess the conduct of the referendum for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections and referenda, as well as with national legislation.

Observers will closely monitor all aspects of the referendum, including pre- and post-referendum developments. Specific areas of focus include the implementation of the legal framework, the conduct of the campaign including on social networks, as well as the work of the referendum administration at all levels, referendum dispute resolution and media coverage. They will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.

Meetings with representatives of state authorities, and political parties, civil society, the media and the international community form an integral part of the observation.

The day after the referendum, the mission’s preliminary findings and conclusions will be presented at a press conference. A final report with an assessment of the entire referendum process and containing recommendations will be published some months after the referendum.

Media contacts:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR spokesperson: Katya.Andrusz@odihr.pl or +48 609 522 266

Elma Šehalić, Media Analyst with the Limited Referendum Observation Mission: Elma.Sehalic@odihr.uz

10th Anniversary of Anti-Discrimination Forum Trebinje Željka Šulc

Trebinje, 28 March 2023 – The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina supported today’s meeting of the Anti-Discrimination Forum Trebinje (ADF) to mark its tenth anniversary.

Ever since it was founded in 2013, the ADF has aimed to strengthen civil society organizations’ capacities to identify, report and address human rights concerns and discriminatory practices. The ADF has also worked tirelessly with decision makers at all levels to incorporate the needs of vulnerable groups and groups facing discrimination when developing legislation.

“The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina has been supporting the ADF for the past 10 years. ADF presents a unique platform for discussing human rights and anti-discrimination topic in Trebinje and Eastern Herzegovina. Members of the ADF are civil society organizations, public institutions from Trebinje as well as the Institution of Human Rights Ombudsman/Ombudsmen of BiH. Through all these years, ADF members, with the support of the Mission, have engaged in discussing and devising advocacy strategies on key human rights issues. The Mission is committed to continue supporting the ADF going forward”, said Esther Garcia Fransioli, Acting Head of Human Rights Section of the OSCE Mission to BiH.

Representative of the Institution of Human Rights Ombudman/Ombudsmen of BiH, Regional Centre Mostar, Naida Spužević, has been regular member of ADF Trebinje since its foundation. She noted:

“In the past years, the Ombudsman Institution has made a significant contribution to the work of ADF through open communication and counselling its members. The ADF also serves as an exchange platform between the Ombudsmen Institution’s Regional Office in Mostar and local CSOs and NGOs, not only in sharing of practices and experiences but also addressing concrete cases of discrimination and violations of human rights. The Ombudsman Institution will continue to support the promotion of human rights through the work of ADF as well as through contacts with individual NGOs and CSOs in eastern Herzegovina.” she said.

“The Association ‘International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights’ is a regular member of the Anti-Discrimination Forum. I must highlight that the Forum created opportunities for networking of non-governmental organizations and discussion focused on issues of importance to the promotion and protection of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, with an aim of building and developing a better, and more just society for all.” said the President of the Association, prof. dr. Aleksandra Vuković. “The Association participated in the work of the Forum - important topics discussed include labor and social legislation, anti-discrimination legislation with an emphasis on workplace bullying and harassment, employment, the right to healthcare and social protection, rights of national minorities, to name a few. In its further engagement and as part of the Forum, the International Centre for the Promotion of Human Rights will continue to highlight the importance of the principles of equality, tolerance and non-discrimination as the cornerstone of any democratic society.”

539966 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 23 and 24 March, the OSCE facilitated the third gathering for representatives of asset management agencies and civil society from South-Eastern Europe to discuss the progress on establishing procedures for the re-use of confiscated criminal assets for social purposes.

Re-using assets confiscated from organized crime and corruption to prevent crime prevention, recompense victims and contribute to the good of the general is a practice that is gaining in importance in many participating States. Event participants benefited from the experience in the European Union, as representatives from the French Asset Recovery and Asset Management Office and the Romanian National Agency for the Management of Seized Assets presented their countries’ path in regulating re-use mechanisms and related good practices. 

During the second day of the workshop, participants worked in groups to discuss feasible action points that would allow them to enhance the joint efforts in re-using criminal assets in a transparent and regulated manner.

The OSCE’ Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities have been supporting participating States in South-Eastern Europe in making use of asset recovery provisions as a response to the threats posed by organized crime and corruption through an extra-budgetary project implemented since early 2020. The project also advocates for the inclusion of civil society organizations in this process and supports their collaboration with government institutions, especially in the re-use phase. More information about the project is to be found under this link.

This event concluded the first phase of this extra-budgetary project.The OSCE will continue supporting participating States by enhancing asset recovery efforts through Phase II , from 2022 to 2025, with the financial support of Germany and the United States of America.  

Court of Conciliation and Arbitration Annual Report 2022

The OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration’s 2022 annual report, published on 24 March 2023, gives an account of institutional matters and emphasizes the multiple endeavors undertaken by the Bureau members to raise awareness of the Court and its potential.

The report highlights activities around the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Stockholm Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE, which is the Court’s founding document. The government of Sweden actively contributed to the commemoration. In addition to bilateral talks with Bureau members, the government co-organized a seminar in Stockholm in December 2022 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Convention. The seminar was hosted by the Stockholm Center for International Law and Justice, a part of the University of Stockholm.  

Further activities included President Decaux’s address to the OSCE Permanent Council in May 2022, where he made an appeal to the States parties and participating States reminding them that the 1992 Stockholm Convention is an asset shared by all members of the OSCE community.

In addition, the report gives an account of the third edition of the moot court organized by the Faculty of Law of the University in Ljubljana. Students and future jurists became acquainted with the arbitral proceedings as featured by the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration.

The Court of Conciliation and Arbitration provides a set of mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States. The Court was established by the Convention of Stockholm, which entered into force on 5 December 1994. To date, 34 OSCE participating States have ratified the Convention.

539846 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

Twenty-seven representatives from the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centres (WRCs), of which fourteen are directors learned how to achieve organizational sustainability through engagement in social entrepreneurship income generation at a training course in Dushanbe. The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized the course, which took place from 13 to 17 Mach 2023.

Participants learned about the basics of social enterprise business planning and its stages; conducting the SWOT analysis of a social enterprise; determining the production programme of the planned activity, and preparing marketing and financial plans for a social enterprise.  Other main topics covered at the event were business plan analysis; organizational plan; management of risks, and determining the social impact of the project.

Natalya Faizieva, a representative from the WRC “ASTI” in Khujand said: “For me, this is an opportunity to learn more about social entrepreneurship. As a result of the training, I hope that our organization will be able to develop a social business plan and engage in income generation activities to continue supporting socially vulnerable groups of the population.”

“I consider this OSCE initiative as a solution to sustainably support the community members in rural areas. All the topics that were covered during the course are necessary to increase the level of knowledge of the participants and will further be used as a guide for the implementation of social entrepreneurship ideas in residential areas,” noted Mohsimo Abdushahidova, Director of WRC “Zanoni Sharq” (Oriental Women) in Penjikent.

“In practical classes, we were acquainted with the new concept of social entrepreneurship and developed a business plan for a social enterprise,” said Asadullo Nematov, a representative from the WRC “Rohnamo” (Guide) in the Lyaksh district. He added that the gained knowledge would help them in the process of developing a social enterprise in their district.

The Programme Office provides comprehensive support to victims of domestic violence in the regions through a network of 14 OSCE-established WRCs in close partnership with local authorities. The current activity is being implemented within the project "Supporting and Strengthening the Women’s Resource Centres in Tajikistan" of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe funded by the United States of America, Finland, Norway, Germany, and Andorra.

539840

With the growing security risks in crypto and real-world economies, the OSCE organized from 20 to 25 March in Chisinau its first national training courses for Moldova on money laundering related to virtual assets.

“Money laundering through virtual assets is a growing regional security risk. As crypto-economies and real-world financial markets become more and more interconnected, state authorities have to intervene more often to stay ahead of risks like money laundering. And Moldova is no exception with its developing crypto and crypto-mining industry,” said Kurban Babayev, Associate Anti-corruption Officer in the OSCE’s Office of the Co-ordinator for Economic and Environmental affairs.

Course participants comprised officials from state financial supervisory agencies and law enforcement. They learned about assessment, investigation and supervision methods, risks associated with cryptocurrencies, criminal schemes, as well as tools for tracing different coins and tokens. They also reviewed case studies, compliance of virtual assets service providers (VASP), and tools for online supervision and investigations.

The training course is part of an OSCE-led extra-budgetary project on innovative policy solutions to mitigate money-laundering risks of virtual assets. The project is designed to support the governments of Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in building national authorities’ capacities to mitigate criminal risks related to virtual assets and cryptocurrencies. The project is funded by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland.

539681 Željka Šulc

Sarajevo, 23 March 2023 – As current Chair of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), and in partnership with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 22 March in Vienna, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) organized a side event Strengthening Regional Co-operation on Parliamentary Oversight of Defence and Security in Southeast Europe.

Building on OSCE’s record of engagement on good governance and parliamentary oversight of the security and defence sectors in OSCE participating States, the high-level event helped chart the course toward revitalizing regional co-operation and exchange among parliamentary bodies overseeing the work of military, police, paramilitary and the intelligence services.

Ambassador Siniša Bencun, Permanent Representative of BiH to the UN, OSCE and other international organizations in Vienna highlighted that "in South-Eastern Europe (SEE), despite tensions, we maintain both political and technical dialogue”, adding “the turbulent past is still remembered, but we recognize that dialogue is the only right way forward. This is why we predominantly dedicated our chairing of the OSCE FSC to SEE, by selecting topic of relevance for the region, including the Sub-regional Arms Control Agreement and parliamentary oversight of the defence and security sector”.

In outlining the foremost results of regional co-operation in the field of parliamentary oversight of security and defence, Željko Grubešić, Expert Advisor of the Joint Committee on Defence and Security of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina noted that such co-operation has “developed professional relationships, established networks, and enabled familiarization with diverse practices and experiences“.

“An accountable security system is one that upholds human rights and the rule of law, underpins the legitimacy of political authority, and ensures societal stability. While parliamentary oversight and democratic control anchors state security, it ultimately enables human security and wellbeing.” said Dr. Susan Penksa, Head of Department of Security Co-operation of the OSCE Mission to BiH. ”I would like to thank the FSC Chair for valuable support and commend the strong commitment of Bosnia and Herzegovina to regional trust-building and security cooperation.” she added.

Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Thirty-eight OSCE participating States invoked the OSCE’s Moscow Mechanism on 23 March 2023 to examine “threats to the fulfilment of the provisions of the human dimension posed by human rights violations and abuses in the Republic of Belarus”.

The Moscow Mechanism, last invoked on 28 July 2022 in relation to the Russian Federation, provides the opportunity for OSCE participating States to send missions of experts to assist in the resolution of a particular question or problem relating to the human dimension of the OSCE. Further information is available here.

The Moscow Mechanism was last used in relation to Belarus in September 2020, when it was invoked by 17 OSCE participating States.

Any information relevant to this Moscow Mechanism can be sent to the following email address: moscowmechanism-belarus2023@odihr.pl. The information will then be forwarded to the expert mission, once established.

The 38 participating States that have invoked the Moscow Mechanism in this case are: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

539657 Željka Šulc

Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, and Ambassador Michael J. Murphy, U.S. Ambassador to BiH, handed over ICT equipment to anti-corruption bodies from Republika Srpska, the Federation of BiH, Brčko District BiH and nine cantons.

The donation is worth around 126,000 EUR and includes laptop and desktop computers, smartphones, printers, scanners, as well as software - all of which will enable anti-corruption bodies in BiH to employ modern and innovative ICT tools in their day-to-day activities, in line with the highest international standards.

The OSCE Mission to BiH has recognized the potential of anti-corruption teams and offices as early as 2017 and has since invested significant efforts to promote the professionalization and aid capacity building of these bodies. With this donation, the OSCE Mission to BiH wishes to reaffirm its support for efficient anti-corruption mechanisms and help anti-corruption bodies carry out their mandates effectively.

“Anti-corruption teams and offices, as impartial and unbiased entities in preventing and reporting on corrupt activities, are indispensable for corruption prevention,” said Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “The digitalization of corruption prevention is a global trend. Digital tools, such as online asset declaration databases and anti-corruption reporting platforms, are essential mechanisms for corruption prevention as they increase transparency and accountability and reduce opportunities for fraud and conflicts of interests.”

Corruption is a complex issue that requires sustained efforts from all stakeholders. “The United States has funded the excellent team at the OSCE to help you stand up the Anti-Corruption Teams and Offices.  They have been working with every canton in the Federation and with the Republika Srpska to ensure the laws and frameworks are in place for you to do your job, and they have provided equipment to get you started.  These are the first steps,” said Ambassador Murphy to members of the Anti-Corruption Teams and Offices. “The United States will be there for all the Anti-Corruption Offices which have the courage to stand up and fight on behalf of citizens.  For those that are still teams, we will be there when you transition into full-fledged offices.  When you need to expand your mandate and intensify your activities, we will be there.” 

This activity is part of the wider efforts invested in corruption prevention and it is a part of the project “Informed Citizens and Efficient Mechanisms to Prevent and Fight Corruption”, funded by the United States Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and implemented by the OSCE Mission to BiH.

VIENNA, 23 March 2023 — OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid will travel to Tirana on 24 March for meetings with high-level officials, parliamentarians, OSCE staff, and other stakeholders in Albania.

The Secretary General will meet with Albania’s President Bajram Begaj, Prime Minister Edi Rama, Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka and Speaker of the Parliament Assembly Lindita Nikolla. She will also have an exchange with members of the Albanian parliamentary assembly, including representatives of the Alliance of Women Parliamentarians, as well as representatives of civil society.

She will also hold meetings with the Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, Guido De Sanctis, and his team.

On 24 March 2023 at 11:20, Secretary General Schmid and Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Xhaçka will hold an in-person press briefing at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

539522 Željka Šulc

BANJA LUKA, 22 March 2023 - Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, visited Banja Luka today where he held meetings with several local counterparts.

Ambassador Aggeler’s visit provided a valuable opportunity to support representatives of the media, human rights activists and their legal representatives. During the visit, he offered the Mission’s assistance in ensuring their safety and noted that the Mission will do all it can to support fundamental freedoms in RS In light of recent attacks in the city, this is especially important.

At the Republika Srpska National Assembly, Ambassador Aggeler discussed the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code (CC) with political party caucuses, recommending that the RS authorities refrain from their adoption. He also underlined that the OSCE Mission to BiH strongly opposes the adoption of any legislation limiting the civic space in light of the announced Foreign Agents Law.

During these meetings, Ambassador Aggeler noted that the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media encourages all participating States to fully decriminalize defamation. “The attempts to criminalize defamation in one part of BiH have a negative effect on the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms and limits space for an effective civil society,” he added. Elaborating on current RS legislation governing the protection from defamation, he noted that it is perfectly suitable to address potential defamation and insults without the need for a specific legal remedy.

539435 Željka Šulc

More than 40 representatives of the BiH Border Police, BiH State Investigation and Protection Agency, Service for Foreigners' Affairs and BiH Prosecutor’s Office attended a three-day, multi-sectoral training course on the differences between trafficking in human beings and the smuggling of migrants, which concluded on 22 March 2023 in Sarajevo. The course was organized by the OSCE Mission to BiH, in co-ordination with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The course aimed to increase participants’ practical and theoretical knowledge of the elements of crimes related to trafficking in human beings, and to build their capacity to differentiate between trafficking in human beings and the smuggling of migrants.  

“Combatting trafficking in human beings – a heinous form of modern slavery – is a key priority of our Mission,” said Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH. “Fundamental human rights must be at the centre of all efforts to combat human trafficking and manage mixed migration flows, control borders effectively, prosecute traffickers and smugglers, and provide compensation and support to victims of trafficking.”

While Bosnia and Herzegovina is a source, destination, and transit country for the trafficking of women, men, and children as well as the smuggling of migrants, these challenges are a transnational issue. Samir Rizvo, State Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration, stressed that trafficking in human beings together with smuggling of migrants undermine the rule of law and contribute to other forms of transnational organized crime. “At this seminar, prosecution and law enforcement officials, including members of the border police, enhanced their skills to differentiate between smuggling and trafficking in human beings and apply a social path in the identification of victims of trafficking,” said Rizvo.

At the training, GIZ briefly presented their project on preventing and combatting trafficking in human beings in the Western Balkans (PaCT). One goal of the project, which is focused on advising public authorities and civil society, is the establishment of necessary conditions to increase the resilience of victims and improve the protection of potential victims. “The project promotes co-operation and co-ordination between local and the central authorities in this field. Therefore, in my opinion, this training can assist in strengthening co-operation and co-ordination between all relevant actors in our country,” said Tatjana Junuzagić, Coordinator of the PaCT Project for BiH.

This training was implemented as part of the OSCE Mission to BiH’s wider efforts to support the fight against trafficking in human beings in BiH by strengthening the capacity of relevant institutions to detect, investigate and process such crimes.

539405 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

The OSCE and Spain’s Guardia Civil launched a specialized canine team instructor course for eight Ukrainian specialists at the Guardia Civil’s Dog Training Centre (CADEPE) on 21 March 2023.

The group of officers from Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service (SBGS) and State Customs Service (SCS) will undergo a specialized training course for canine team instructors. This initiative will strengthen the capacities of Ukraine’s border management authorities to prevent and combat the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW), ammunition and explosives.

“Acknowledging the important role of the canine component in countering illicit firearms trafficking, as well as other forms of transnational organized crime, this joint action is a contribution to enhancing security in the OSCE region,” highlighted Alexander Savelyev, OSCE Project Manager at the official opening ceremony.

Built on European standards and best practices, the comprehensive four-month training programme aims to improve canine training methodologies of the SBGS and the SCS in product scent detection, with a focus on weapons, ammunition and explosives.

“The course programme is designed to address specific training needs of both agencies identified through a series of joint consultations and exchange visits to Ukraine and Spain, facilitated by OSCE during 2021-2022,” said Lieutenant Colonel Guillermo Reyes, Head of CADEPE.

The risks of illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives is significantly aggravated in the contexts of Russian military aggression against Ukraine and can threaten European security. Countering illicit trafficking requires a holistic approach and immediate joint actions to prevent weapons, ammunition and explosives from getting in the wrong hands.

“Ukrainian border agencies do their utmost in combating illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives. We are grateful to the OSCE and Guardia Civil for their assistance and consider this course as an important step in advancing Ukraine’s canine capabilities,” underlined participant Serhii Liubynetskiy. .

Thus initiative is a part of the “In support of strengthening capacities of Ukrainian authorities in preventing and combating illicit trafficking in weapons, ammunition and explosives in all its aspects” project, funded by the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Slovakia. Lithuania and Poland also support the project through in-kind contributions.

539372 Turning climate-related risks into opportunities for co-operation: a new OSCE-adelphi report on Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area

Forests play a variety of important roles in the fight against climate change. In the rich forest ecosystem of the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area, the main climate-related security risks are linked to forest governance, according to a report published today by the OSCE and adelphi, a Berlin-based think tank, to mark International Day of Forests.

The Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area in South-Eastern Europe comprises four protected areas: Korab-Koritnik, Mavrovo, Shar Mountain, and Sharri/Šara. More than 100,000 people depend on these forest resources for their livelihoods. But deforestation, illegal logging and forest fires are threatening the area’s biodiversity and people’s livelihood security, which are being put at further risk by the impact of climate change.

“‘It’s about people’ is our motto for this year as we chair the OSCE, the world’s largest security organization, and addressing the impact of climate change is among our priorities,” said Ambassador Igor Djundev of North Macedonia on behalf of the country’s 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship. “Co-operation is essential to tackling climate change, and the OSCE’s work in Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area demonstrates the benefits of such co-operation.”

The report, Co-operation in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area: Scoping study on addressing shared climate-related security challenges and strengthening resilience, is one part of the OSCE’s active effort to support its participating States in implementing the 2021 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on climate change.

“Climate change is a risk multiplier. It does not exist in isolation from insecurity and instability. The OSCE provides a platform for political dialogue and co-operation to address these multiple risks,” said Igli Hasani, Co-ordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “The work in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area represents one of the first examples of tackling climate and security challenges in a shared biodiversity hotspot. We are grateful to all our project stakeholders, our donors as well as the OSCE Presence in Albania, OSCE Mission in Kosovo and the OSCE Mission to Skopje for making this happen”

The scoping study behind the report was designed to examine possible security risks related to climate change in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area and identify ways to address them. The study was carried out through a consultation process that brought together park management authorities, governmental agencies, municipalities, and local NGOs to discuss climate-related security risks and to develop a joint vision for this mountain region.

“Forest governance and local livelihoods are among the key areas where joint activities are needed to address climate-related security risks in the four protected areas,” said Beatrice Mosello, Senior Advisor at adelphi. “To this end, the consultation process we conducted highlighted the importance of establishing co-operation structures, as well as raising public awareness and strengthening the capacities of civil society on nature conservation and climate change adaptation in the Shar/ Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area.”

This report is prepared within the framework of the OSCE extra-budgetary 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 funded by Andorra, Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United States.