OSCE

530803 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

The benefits and challenges of the functioning of free economic zones (FEZ) were addressed at an OSCE-organized seminar that took place on 10 and 11 November 2022 in Ashgabat.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the two-day event to support the host country’s efforts aimed at enhancing an investment-friendly environment and foreign economic activity and implementing relevant international commitments.

A national expert presented the concept, principles and classification of free economic zones and highlighted preconditions for FEZ development in Turkmenistan. An international expert from the United Kingdom shared the best practices of the OSCE participating States in the development of the national concept of free economic zones and elaborated on customs controls in FEZ and the evaluation of FEZ effectiveness.

“The  free economic zones represents an efficient model of administrative and economic management aimed at fostering jobs creation, generating exports, and attracting foreign investment, said Ivana Markovic-Boskovic, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“Today`s seminar is a part of the Centre`s continued and long-term support to Turkmenistan in promoting regional economic connectivity and strengthening the legal and institutional frameworks conducive to a positive investment climate and business development,” added Markovic Boskovic.

The seminar brought together representatives of Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations, Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Central Bank, as well as the State Customs Service, Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and other relevant institutions.

530794 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 7 to 10 November, 21 criminal justice practitioners from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine gathered in Dubrovnik for a training course on mutual legal assistance and international co-operation in asset recovery.

The training, delivered through both theoretical and practical sessions, strengthened the practitioners’ capacities in addressing cross-border organized crime and corruption. The course also covered challenges criminal justice actors face in tracing, seizing, confiscating and repatriating criminal assets that are located outside their jurisdictions.

“The training was very useful for improving our understanding of international co-operation in relation to criminal asset investigation, seizure, and confiscation. The case study at the center of the training was exemplary and gave the opportunity to reflect on various aspects of asset recovery. From the technical aspect, the training platform used has made the training more efficient,” said Miljko Radisavljevic, Deputy Prosecutor of the Public Republic Prosecutor’s Office in Serbia.

Prosecutor Darko Jakimovski, from the Skopje Prosecutor’s Office, stated that “the training offered a very good mapping of legal channels that we can use in our daily work for getting first information and documents related to investigations of cross-border crime. It also offered a great opportunity to learn about the entire global international infrastructure and provided clarity on how and when existing channels shall be used to obtain specific data and evidence. Moreover, through this training we have understood that the existing co-operation platforms and mechanisms - such as Asset Recovery Offices, the different Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Networks, EUROPOL - are not overlapping, but complimentary instead.”

“The OSCE will continue providing support in enhancing capacities of judges, prosecutors, and criminal justice practitioners, at the regional and national level. These exercises are important not only in building skills necessary to address complex cases and investigations but also connecting practitioners in the region, which will also help in the future in sharing of operational information,” said Iris Pilika, project lead with the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA).

The workshop was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the ability of participating States to trace, seize, and confiscate criminal assets by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and OCEEA and implemented in the framework of the extra-budgetary project “Strengthening the fight against transnational organized crime in South-Eastern Europe through improved regional co-operation in asset seizure, confiscation, management and re-use”, which is funded by the United States, Germany, Italy and United Kingdom.

Head of OSCE Mission to BiH Aggeler visits Mostar Željka Šulc

MOSTAR, 10 November 2022 - Ambassador Brian Aggeler, Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH, visited Mostar today where he met with the Mission’s counterparts in the city administration, Mayor Mario Kordić and Mostar City Council Speaker Salem Marić. Together they discussed the latest political developments and ongoing initiatives in the city. Ambassador Aggeler commended Mostar’s successful reconciliation efforts contributing to the stability and prosperity of local communities, including the adoption of a joint Day of commemoration for all civilian victims of war and the removal of controversial street names in Mostar.

The visit focused on the unification of the Mostar Music schools.

“The Mission continues to advocate for the unification of the two Mostar music schools, with an aim to provide quality education to all children, without discrimination and segregation. This implies a single, unified school with a joint curriculum,” said Ambassador Aggeler.

Ambassador Aggeler also met with representatives of civil society organizations from Mostar and discussed peace-building initiatives, reconciliation and memorialisation issues, as well as issues of gender-based violence, trafficking and corruption. The Ambassador thanked the activists for their dedicated engagement and all they do for a peaceful and inclusive future for Mostar citizens.

During his visit, Ambassador Aggeler met with HDZ BiH President Dragan Čović as well as with the President of the Croat Republican Party Slaven Raguž to discuss the challenges of the post-election period and the prospects of swift government formation.

ERGNETI, 10 November 2022 - The 109th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held in Ergneti today, under the co-facilitation of Ambassador Marek Szczygieł, Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM) and Ambassador Viorel Moşanu, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus.

The EUMM and OSCE representatives commended the commitment of the participants to the IPRM. The co-facilitators noted the continued benefits of the temporary openings of the Odzisi and Karzmani crossing points along the South Ossetian administrative boundary line (ABL) between the 20th and 30th day of each month since August 2022. Relatedly, they advocated for the lifting of freedom of movement restrictions during the upcoming holiday season, while reiterating their calls for the full re-opening of crossing points for regular cross-ABL traffic. Furthermore, the issue of expiration of crossing documents – so-called propusks – was discussed, with the co-facilitators calling on the participants to apply leniency in this matter.

Ambassadors Szczygieł and Moşanu urged for a humanitarian approach towards resolution of pending detention cases in view of the upcoming holidays. The co-facilitators insisted on the necessity of their good treatment in the meantime, in particular in terms of healthcare.

IPRM participants discussed issues that negatively impact the lives and livelihoods of the conflict-affected population, including continued ‘borderisation’ activities. They preliminarily agreed to hold a technical meeting on the topic of the ABL-adjacent population’s access to irrigation and drinking water by mid-March 2023.

The co-facilitators encouraged all participants to commit to a collaborative behaviour with regard to any security developments along the ABL. They highlighted the need for the effective use of the EUMM-managed Hotline as an indispensable instrument for defusing tensions and building confidence among the IPRM participants.

The participants agreed to convene the next IPRM on 17 January 2023 with a possibility to hold a meeting earlier, if participants found it necessary.

530728 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 10 November 2022, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department held a national workshop dedicated to updating the national curriculum for law enforcement on gender-based violence (GBV) in Belgrade. This is the second workshop organized at the national level within the project “Enhancing Criminal Justice Capacities for Combating Gender-based Violence in South-Eastern Europe”, and it was accomplished with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and the Serbian Ministry of Interior.

Workshop participants analysed and proposed improvements to the Serbian national training curriculum on how to prevent and fight GBV, notably to align the current national training materials with the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention, with a state-of-the-art curriculum piloted at the regional level, and with the main findings from the mapping of police and judicial training curricula on GBV conducted in 2021 as part of the OSCE WIN project.

Professor Stojanka Mircheva, OSCE consultant, emphasized that the police officers need to understand what a survivor of gender-based violence is experiencing, in order to be able to provide an appropriate response. In addition to the application of the law, the police officers must have the appropriate skills and attitudes towards the survivors and their needs, therefore fully implementing the victim-centred approach, while holding perpetrators accountable. This has to be reflected in the basic, specialized and continuous education for all police officers, with a focus on all forms of gender-based violence and gender equality.

The workshop gathered 17 participants (nine women and eight men) from the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Ministry of Interior, the Police Training Center, the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor’s Office of the city of Novi Sad and of the city of Ruma, the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies, the Judicial Academy, the Republic Institute for Social Protection and the Autonomous Women’s Centre.

During the workshop, participants discussed the set of recommendations proposed by the OSCE to improve the national curriculum and elaborated on the best way to institutionalize these changes. Participants also stressed the relevance of the project and their continued interest in its activities.  

This workshop will be followed by a specialized training course for police officers, which is planned to take place in early 2023. The training will be organized with the Serbian Ministry of Interior, and will include local ownership and a full customization to the national legislation and national needs.

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

Elections experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report of ODIHR’s Election Observation Mission to the November 2021 parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan on 28 October 2022.

The experts discussed the report’s findings and recommendations with the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda, representatives of state institutions, parliamentary political parties, civil society and the international community. Discussions focused on inclusive and timely lawmaking process and electoral reform, effective measures against vote-buying, involvement of law enforcement bodies in the electoral campaign, guaranteeing the right to a free and secret ballot, ensuring greater transparency of campaign finance, and increased participation of women. 

“We are pleased to see that ODIHR recommendations were discussed in an inclusive format, engaging stakeholders from state institutions, parliament, civil society and the international community, to improve electoral legislation and practice,” said Audrey Glover, Head of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission for the November 2021 elections. “ODIHR stands ready to continue its support to implement the recommendations, including through a review of amendments to electoral legislation.”

The ODIHR team emphasized the importance of addressing recommendations made in its reports well ahead of the next elections. All OSCE participating States have committed themselves to promptly follow up on ODIHR election assessments and recommendations.

As part of the ODIHR experts’ visit to the country, a roundtable on good practices for follow-up to electoral recommendations took place on 27 October, involving  representatives from electoral management bodies of Albania, Armenia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as the Ministry of Digital Development of Kyrgyzstan and civil society groups. The discussion focused on introducing electronic voter registration, related election technologies and inclusive participation in elections.

WASHINGTON DC, 9 November 2022 – The 8 November mid-term congressional elections were competitive and professionally managed, with active voter participation, but also with threats against election workers and efforts to undermine voters’ trust in the electoral process by baselessly questioning its integrity, international observers said in a statement released today. Candidates could campaign freely, but many contests were highly polarized and marred by harsh rhetoric, and partisan redistricting resulted in many instances of uncompetitive constituencies, the statement says.

The economy, inflation and abortion rights were prominent issues across the country. Political campaigns by both major parties were intensely divisive, and the inflammatory rhetoric was accompanied by racist and transphobic tropes invoked by some candidates and prominent commentators. A number of Republican candidates in key races, including those who, if elected as secretaries of state, will have direct responsibility for overseeing future elections in their states, challenged or refused to accept the legitimacy of the 2020 results.

“The American people once again demonstrated their commitment to democratic elections in a hard-fought campaign and professionally run process,” said Margareta Cederfelt, the OSCE Special Co-ordinator and Leader of the short-term observers. “Unfortunately, we also noted that baseless allegations of fraud continued to have a serious result, in harassment of and threats against election officials. Certain systemic challenges, such as gerrymandering, enabling politicians to choose their voters, rather than the opposite, and the outsized influence of money on campaigning, must be addressed to ensure real equality of the vote.”

Disclosure mechanisms for campaign finance are generally comprehensive, but loopholes in the regulatory framework make the impact of money in politics less transparent, the observers said.

Following the 2020 population census, the 435 seats in the House of Representatives were reapportioned among the states, and electoral districts were redrawn. Redistricting is highly political, with state legislatures responsible in 33 states, and external commissions in the remaining 11. A total of 78 legal challenges were filed against congressional district maps, often alleging partisan or racial gerrymandering, and court decisions changed district maps in 8 states. In designing the maps, competent bodies use algorithms that at times took into account politically favourable variables, including past voting results and racial demographics at the precinct level. As currently implemented, redistricting does not fully ensure competitiveness, representativeness and the fair representation of minorities.

“As a robust and well-established democracy, it is crucial that the United States continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving its electoral system by increasing the franchise, enhancing election security, and countering misinformation,” said Pere Joan Pons, Head of the Delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. “The challenges to democracy that the U.S. faces are common to many OSCE countries, and we must all work together to ensure that the citizens have trust in their democratic processes.”

While citing the concerns over harassment, threats and instances of violence, the observers noted that Congress allocated funds for election security, including to counter threats against election administrators, and a joint taskforce of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation was created to gather information on threats and to address these at the federal level.

While many outlets in the diverse – but polarized – media landscape made efforts to present accurate information, widespread disinformation by others affected voters' ability to inform themselves.

“A vibrant, pluralistic media environment, like that we have observed here, is in itself, a prerequisite for competitive elections,” said Tana de Zulueta, Head of the Limited Election Observation Mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. “But when the content and character of the coverage and commentary consists of derogatory, often offensive language towards those involved in the process – political opponents, election officials and, in some cases, voters themselves – this creates an atmosphere that, as we have observed, can lead to threats and intimidation, and even violence, while doing no service to citizens seeking objective, factual information.”

Alternative voting methods include early in-person and absentee voting, providing multiple options for voters to cast their ballots. While absentee voting does not guarantee the secrecy of the vote, the convenience of these methods was seen by the majority of those the observers spoke with as increasing participation in the electoral process, and most were confident of their integrity. Disproven claims by politicians and commentators in the media that absentee ballots and the use of ballot drop boxes resulted in fraud in the 2020 elections negatively impacted trust in the current election process.

The statement also highlights a number of other issues. Regarding campaign finance, the observers noted that, while the disclosure of incomes and expenditures by candidates, party and “independent” committees provides reasonable transparency, this is undermined by a lack of disclosure by tax-exempted organizations involved in the campaign. While noting that voter ID requirements, present in 35 states, are in line with good practice and safeguards for election integrity, the observers highlighted that IDs were not equally accessible to all eligible citizens in some states, thus infringing on the right to equal suffrage of members of some minorities and economically disadvantaged communities.

530665 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

From 8 to 10 November, 55 representatives of relevant ministries and state agencies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as well as representatives of international organizations took part in the peer-review meeting in Istanbul on the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR 1540) on preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and means of their delivery.

“The OSCE is proud to support this regional initiative which serves as a great platform and an excellent opportunity to review the status of national implementation of  UNSCR 1540 (2004), as well as discuss current challenges and explore areas of further co-operation and collaboration among States of the region while also potentially attracting assistance in the effective implementation of the Resolution,” shared Shawn DeCaluwe, Chief of the Forum for Security and Co-operation Support Unit, OSCE.

The peer-review meeting aims to promote the implementation of the UNSCR 1540 at national levels through the effective implementation of provisions of National Action Plans, and to strengthen legislations in export control, biological and chemical security, as well as enhance regional co-operation and response mechanisms against proliferations of WMD. In addition, the peer-review meeting provides a platform for discussion of the results achieved on the Recommendations of the Issyk-Kul Round of peer-review meeting held in 2018 in a 5+1 format: Central Asia and the Republic of Belarus.

The regional peer-review meeting is organized by the initiative of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic and with the support of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, European Union, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek within the framework of enhancing regional efforts to prevent proliferation of WMD, and strengthening trust and peace in the region.

The regional peer-review meeting was also attended by representatives of the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament, the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, Biological Weapons Implementation Support Unit, the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control, the US Export Control and Related Border Security Programme, 1540 Committee's Group of Experts, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the OSCE and its field offices in Central Asia. 

530623 Communication and Media Relations Section

The parties to the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, under the chairmanship of  Serbia, held the XIII Review Conference on the Implementation of the Dayton Article IV Agreement on 8 November 2022.

The parties expressed particular satisfaction that the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control has been successfully implemented for more than a quarter of a century, in the spirit of respect, improvement of cooperation and deepening of mutual trust.

They emphasized their willingness to consider the need to modernize the Agreement and its eventual amendments.

They emphasized their gratitude to the Contact Group countries for their continuous monitoring and support for the implementation of the Agreement and underlined that their presence, as well as the support of the OSCE participating States, additionally contributed to the successful implementation of the Agreement.

They expressed their determination to continue solving issues that can contribute to the further improvement of the implementation of the Agreement, with the aim of improving cooperation and strengthening peace and stability in the region.

530617 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 8 November 2022, the OSCE Gender Issues Programme, in partnership with the Women Against Violence Europe network (WAVE), launched a new toolkit aimed at supporting women’s specialist services and civil society organizations involved in supporting women survivors of violence in conflict and post-conflict settings.

To mark the launch over 50 participants representing civil society activists, representatives of governments, and international organizations from the South Caucasus, South Eastern and Eastern Europe gathered at the conference in Tbilisi.

OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Lara Scarpitta, reiterated OSCE’s commitment to support the work of women’s civil society organizations by building capacities to address gender-based violence in conflict and post-conflict settings. “Civil society, particularly women’s organizations that work with local communities, is at the forefront of the response to gender-based violence. With this toolkit, we aim to provide a practical tool for enhancing the work with women’s specialist services and civil society organizations in conflict and post-conflict settings.”

Stephanie Futter-Orel, WAVE Executive Manager stressed the importance of women’s specialist services as pillars of peace in times of crisis and beyond: “We are living in times of very complex political, social, economic and environmental challenges and many of these affect women disproportionately, in particular the global rise of violence against women and girls.’’

Women’s specialist services, such as the WAVE members, are essential in times of peace and crisis to tackle violence against women and girls effectively, as they provide holistic, victim-centred and trauma-informed support to women experiencing violence. Given their decades-long expertise, these services can make a unique contribution in tackling the complex difficulties women are facing today.

The toolkit was developed with the support of the OSCE’s multi-year WIN Project, which aims to build capacity and increase the participation of women in conflict prevention, mediation, and other processes relevant to comprehensive security.

530611 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

On 5 and 6 November 2022, a group of four Permanent Representatives to the OSCE visited Tajikistan to reconfirm their strong support for strengthening the OSCE’s co-operation with Tajikistan.

The visiting group consisted of Ambassador Gesa Bräutigam, Germany; Ambassador Christine Fages, France; Ambassador Neil Bush, the United Kingdom and Ambassador Michael Carpenter, the United States. As part of their regional tour, the ambassadors will also visit Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

During their visit to the country, the ambassadors met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin and Commander of the Tajik Border Troops Colonel-General Rajabali Rahmonali.

They also conducted field visits to the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre of Tajikistan’s Defence Ministry in Chimteppa and the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centre in the Khuroson district of the Khatlon region.  

The ambassadors visited one of the OSCE flagship initiatives, the Border Management Staff College, and praised the College’s continued commitment and dedication to enhancing border security and management across the Central Asian region and beyond. They also met with the OSCE staff from the Programme Office in Dushanbe, as well as with civil society representatives.  

“Central Asia is an important region for us – that is why we are travelling here in the Quad format. In addition to visiting the OSCE-funded projects on the ground, we will meet with high-level government officials and representatives of civil society,” the ambassadors said ahead of the visit. “We will reiterate the importance of working together, discuss the OSCE’s engagement in promoting stability and security in Central Asia, and exchange views on our countries’ priorities and needs. We will also discuss the OSCE's comprehensive concept of security covering politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions,” the ambassadors concluded.   

Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 8 November 2022 - Today, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina announced the winners of the “Proud of Our School” competition launched in April 2022. The Mission invited schools across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to share their best practices that promote inclusivity, foster well-being and effective learning, and encourage students and parents to participate in school life.

Of the 103 applications submitted by 82 schools, the selection committee selected winners and runner-ups of the competition in four categories:

In the Roma inclusion category, the winning practice was nominated by Primary School “Miladije”, Tuzla, and the runner-up is the practice of Primary School “Hasan Kikić”, Sarajevo.

In the category of Reconciliatory inter-ethnic activities providing opportunities for increased interaction, co-operation and learning between parents, students and teachers the winner is the practice nominated by Secondary Vocational School, Janja and the runner-up is that of Primary School “Pasci,” Donje Dubrave (Živinice).

In the category of Inclusion of parents in school life and decision-making processes, the winning practice was nominated by “Sixth Primary School,” Mostar and the runner-up is the practice of Primary School “Grivice”, Banovići.

In the category of Student participation in school decision-making processes the winner is the practice nominated by Primary School “Vuk Stefanović Karadžić”, Doboj and the runner-up is that of Primary School “Drvar”, Drvar.

The selection committee evaluated school practices per the following criteria: relevance to the topic, involvement of members of constituent peoples, national minorities and others, where applicable, and the overall impact on school inclusivity, planning, promotion and sustainability. The winners and runners-up shall be awarded with smartboards or digital cameras for their schools. The Mission thanks all who participated and congratulates all the winners! 

530566 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 4 and 5 November 2022 on the Ohrid Lake, North Macedonia, the Regional Ideathon organized jointly by the Office of the Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities and the OSCE Mission to Skopje gathered seventy young people aged 18-25 from the  Western Balkans’ region. Under the motto “Inspire, Connect, Enable”, the Ideathon is a creative problem solving exercise where youth come together and, guided by innovative start-uppers, dive into a social or an environmental challenge and consider possible solutions with the use of technology.

The Ideathon is one of the key activities of the OSCE YDEAS project that promotes reconciliation and cooperation at regional level  by leveraging innovation and digitalization for and a more inclusive, fair, energy-efficient and environmentally mindful economic post-pandemic recovery in the Western Balkans.

“Be the best version of yourselves,” was the encouragement of the OSCE Special Representative on Youth and Security, Maria Raczyńska. “We need the creativity and vision of young people to rebuild peace and security for everyone,” she added in her opening address.

Aneta Pasheva, Chairperson of the Economic Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies in Skopje, recalled the challenges she faced as a woman and a computer scientist and discussed her first steps in the IT business sector. “No one could believe that I was the CEO of my company. Follow your passion and your dream,” she said. “But do not forget that your community needs your talent. Today, 90 per cent of the IT companies in North Macedonia work for foreign companies in outsourcing. In the aftermath of the endorsement of the Western Balkans’ Common Regional Market Action Plan, youth’s skills are essential to transform the economic outlook of the region.”    

Thanks to the financial support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the 2022 OSCE Polish Chairmanship as well as the South-Eastern Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI), the YDEAS project offers the ideal platform for policy-relevant dialogue on digital and social economy and a valuable contribution towards inspiring a new generation of green and social start-uppers. 

“We want to trigger a digital revolution that is fair, socially and environmentally mindful. And we want the project to act as catalyst of cooperation with local authorities, universities, the private sector and regional organizations, such as the Regional Youth Cooperation Office and the Regional Cooperation Council,” said Teresa Albano, OCEEA Economic Affairs Officer and the YDEAS project manager. “In times of persistent inequalities, the YDEAS project intends to seize the transformative power of digital and social economy to build forward better after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

As the largest regional security organization, the OSCE is aware of the importance of reconciliation and multi-stakeholders’ engagement to ensure fair post-pandemic recovery, security and stability in the OSCE area. The YDEAS project is a key initiative in the long-term engagement of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities to this end.

LONDON, 7 November 2022 – OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Valiant Richey will visit the United Kingdom from 7 to 11 November. The visit is organized in co-operation with the national authorities to promote the full implementation of OSCE commitments in the field of anti-trafficking. 

Special Representative Richey will analyse comprehensively anti-trafficking efforts. In particular, he will focus on the impending amendments to the UK's Modern Slavery Act and the Nationality and Borders Bill's impact on the protection of trafficking victims. Richey will enquire about the current response to trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, particularly online. He will also discuss prevention and protection measures to mitigate child trafficking and trafficking risks for Ukrainians fleeing the war. 

The Special Representative will meet key anti-human trafficking national stakeholders and NGOs, including: Home Office/Modern Slavery Unit's Deputy Director Hannah Pooley, UK Migration and Modern Slavery Envoy Andrew Patrick, MPs members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery, and All-Party Parliamentary Group on Commercial Sexual Exploitation (including MP Dame Diana Johnson), CEO of global network ‘Stop the Traffik's’ Ruth Dearnley, and Furnival Chambers' barrister Caroline Haughey. 

Richey will also meet the former UK Prime Minister, Lady Theresa May.  

He will then travel to Scotland and meet with the Scottish Government and relevant anti-trafficking stakeholders. 

For further information, please contact Lilia Rotoloni, Public Information Officer, by e-mail: Lilia.Rotoloni@osce.org.

VIENNA, 7 November 2022 – The OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid visited Oslo from 3 to 4 November to meet with Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt and other officials to discuss issues in the OSCE region including the energy crisis, the security impacts of climate change, and the ongoing war against Ukraine.

“Norway has long been a leader when it comes to multilateral co-operation in support of inclusive and sustainable peace and security. Norway is a steadfast supporter of the OSCE, politically and practically, and I am grateful for our continued co-operation,” said Schmid.

During the visit the Secretary General also met with Norwegian politicians who are members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly as well as the Norwegian Helsinki Committee and other members of civil society, and representatives from the Norwegian Refugee Council’s NORDEM programme. In addition, she met with analysts at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) – including students from the OSCE Academy in Bishkek – to discuss the OSCE’s role across the OSCE region in the context of the war against Ukraine. NUPI works closely with the OSCE Academy – including by hosting students in Oslo each year. The Academy promotes regional cooperation, conflict prevention and good governance in Central Asia through offering higher education, professional training and intellectual exchange. It is one of many initiatives within the OSCE that provides opportunities to engage with youth on peace and security – a priority for the OSCE and Norway alike.

The OSCE and Norway continue to enhance co-operation in a range of areas that benefit Norway and countries across the OSCE region and the Secretary General’s visit helped to advance this co-operation further.

“This summer we signed a new co-operation agreement with Norway that helps to advance the OSCE’s work on everything from Security Sector Governance and Reform to gender equality and media freedom. This kind of support will help ensure that the vital work the OSCE is doing to advance sustainable security continues to have a positive impact for the more than 1.3 billion people we serve across the 57 countries in the OSCE region.”

Norway is also one of the contributors to the new donor-funded Support Programme for Ukraine. The programme consists of 23 different projects that will build on prior work with OSCE’s long-standing partners in Ukraine and cover activities that include supporting humanitarian de-mining efforts, improving disaster risk reduction, and supporting the reform efforts of the Ukrainian government.

530497

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) organized two events from 1 to 4 November 2022 focused on supporting States in implementing passenger data programmes, enhancing coordination between participating States, international organizations, and private sector companies, and deepening regional co-operative partnerships.

From 1 to 2 November, the second annual meeting of the Eastern Europe Informal Working Group (EEIWG) on Passenger Data provided an ongoing forum for intensive technical exchanges focused on: sharing good practices, lessons learned and methodologies in data collection from travelers; exchanging ideas and developments in technologies and new application of passenger data frameworks; and, exploring security analyses across different modes of travel. The meeting also laid the foundation for 2023 events related to the working group, which will be driven by participating States in co-ordination with the OSCE.

Nominations for the annual Chair and Vice-Chair positions were finalized during the EEIWG meeting. The Republic of Kyrgyzstan accepted the nomination by the group to continue as Chair for a second and final year, as did the current Vice-Chairs from Albania, Georgia, Mongolia and Montenegro. The development of informal working groups at the regional level will support the United Nations Countering Terrorist Travel Programme’s initiative to establish regional informal working groups in Eastern Europe as well as Western Africa, Southern Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The 2022 Iteration of the EEIWG also saw participation from Latvia (current European Union IWG Chair) and Sierra Leone (current Western Africa IWG chair), and a joint meeting of the three Chairs to discuss trends and means to build cooperation between regions.

“The regional IWG is a vehicle to promote peer-to-peer discussion, exchange of good practices and lessons learned for the Passenger Information Units (PIUs) in this region. It is also an excellent opportunity to advance implementation of UN Security Council resolutions mandating systemic collection, use and sharing of passenger data to prevent and counter terrorism and organized crime,” said Mauro Miedico, Deputy Director, Chief of Special Projects and Innovation Branch at the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism.

Held online and in-person, the second event, the 6th OSCE-wide Seminar on Passenger Data Exchange, brought together more than 200 passenger data experts from OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation, international organizations, private sector and other global border management partners. The experts discussed new means for cooperation on the implementation of passenger data programmes; good practices in legislation, operations and security analysis; and future use of passenger data systems in maritime environments.

“Considering the current global context with ongoing armed conflict, post-pandemic travel regulations, surges in traveler numbers and global market challenges affecting States’ economic interests, the importance of enhancing dialogue and increasing cooperation on travel security across the OSCE area cannot be overstated. We are all adapting and innovating to ensure this important exchange of ideas and these partnerships advance," said Alena Kupchyna, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats in her opening address.

The continued growth in this event year-over-year speaks to the importance that States, international organizations, border management stakeholders and private industry all place on implementing national travel security systems, and building greater cooperative partnerships to strengthen the security of the OSCE region at large,” she added. 

The seminar also examined the technical assistance needs of States for implementing United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2178, 2396, and 2482. These resolutions mandate States to adopt and use Advance Passenger Information (API) and Passenger Name Record (PNR) for identifying and detecting terrorists and serious criminals in accordance with international law and human rights principles.

Experts from participating States and international organizations also presented on how, in addition to data collected from air passengers, maritime passenger data can be used to provide a broader risk assessment of the threats facing a country. Additional presentations focused on the experience of passenger data system implementation in areas outside the OSCE with a focus on different approaches and lessons learned that could be applied by OSCE participating States.

The seminar also included a networking session for experts featuring IT services and API/PNR analysis systems available from various providers, as well as several air carriers.

Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Ambassador Brian Aggeler, visited Travnik today and met key local counterparts. Željka Šulc

Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Ambassador Brian Aggeler, visited Travnik today.

Ambassador Aggeler met key local counterparts, including Central Bosnia Canton Prime Minister Tahir Lendo, and Bojan Domić, Cantonal Minister of Education. Ambassador Aggeler used the opportunity to discuss political developments in Central Bosnia Canton, particularly as related to the education sector.

 “I am glad to be here today and have an opportunity to discuss one of the most important issues for the future of this county – education,” said Ambassador Aggeler.

In line with the Mission’s mandate to promote stability and reconciliation in BiH, the Mission has been encouraging equal access to education through the creation of inclusive school environments, the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of mutual understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity.

“Unfortunately, the question of ‘two schools under one roof’ has not yet been resolved. It is important to eliminate discrimination and provide all children with good quality education. Opening additional, mono-ethnic schools is also not a solution – this only deepens division,” stressed Aggeler.

Finally, Ambassador Aggeler met with Kenan Dautović, Mayor of Travnik and Vlatka Lovrinović, Travnik Municipal Council Speaker, to discuss the importance of good local governance. Ambassador Aggeler concluded his official visit with a tour of Travnik’s iconic historical sites.

“The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoys long-lasting and positive co-operation with the authorities in Central Bosnia Canton. We stand ready to continue supporting authorities in the best interest of all citizens,” concluded Aggeler.

VIENNA, 4 November 2022 – Over the past six months, we have witnessed the sharpest deterioration of media freedom since the establishment of the mandate of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) 25 years ago; no one can afford to look away, not to act and not to stand up.

“Democracy and media freedom are too precious to be allowed to wither away. It is our shared responsibility to turn our political commitments into reality, in order to preserve our common security, our democracies and a free information space,” said OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro at her bi-annual meeting with the Permanent Council in Vienna yesterday.

In the report, the Representative outlined worrying developments that led to this grim situation. With the ongoing war by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and with the continued systematic crackdown on independent journalism and media freedom in the Russian Federation and in Belarus, the picture of media freedom is bleak.

“Those who freely speak their minds, who seek the truth, who hold those in power to account are under attack. As the latest incidents against Dmitry Muratov and the Novaya Gazeta show, not even a Nobel Peace Prize can protect from attacks and illegitimate persecution,” Ribeiro said.

Journalists and media workers reporting from the conflict zones of Ukraine are working under the most dangerous and difficult conditions, taking high personal risks and facing immense safety threats. In addition, outside of conflict situations, the media are often targeted.

“To be a journalist today requires a lot of resilience and commitment, especially as anti-media sentiment and distrust towards the media is rising, and the pressure on media actors is increasing, be it of political, economic, legal or financial nature,” the Representative said. “The risks, threats and attacks that journalists face these days for doing their job make journalism a dangerous profession.”

In her report, the Representative discussed the recent activities and initiatives of her Office to tackle the manifold challenges for media freedom in the OSCE region, from countering disinformation to promoting safety of journalists; from content moderation and artificial intelligence in times of crisis to promoting media literacy.

The year 2022 was also marked by the work of the Advisory Group of Eminent Experts on Freedom of the Media that was established in commemoration of the 25 years of the RFoM mandate. The group discussed current and emerging trends and challenges and the way they affect media freedom; how social, economic, and environmental developments affect media freedom; and how the digital transformation shapes the media landscape. The outcome report and recommendations therein will serve as a guiding tool for the work ahead.

In ending the report to the Permanent Council, Ribeiro underlined that the coming years will be most challenging for those upholding the cause of freedom of the media.

“We will need vigilance, collaborative thinking and collective action. It is our shared responsibility to ensure media freedom.”

The Representative’s full report is available here.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.

530452 Communication and Media Relations Section Alexandra Taylor

On 2 and 3 November 2022, over 70 participants representing a diverse group of stakeholders from the four protected areas of Korab-Koritnik, Mavrovo, Shar Mountain and Sharri/Šara convened for a workshop in Mavrovo, North Macedonia, to discuss a shared vision to reduce climate-related security risks and identify joint projects and co-operation formats.

The protected areas are part of the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif, a biodiversity hotspot with outstanding natural value in South-Eastern Europe. The four protected areas combined cover more than 240,000 acres, making it one of the largest continuous protected areas in Europe.

“We are already witnessing the devastating impacts of climate change in our region. Over the past two decades, average temperatures have increased by 1.2°C, and heatwaves, floods, and wildfires are occurring more frequently and intensely. These present risks to the health and livelihoods of people, our shared ecosystems, food, water and energy security in the region,” said Naser Nuredini, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning of North Macedonia, at the opening of the workshop. “Today, together with our neighbours, we are embarking on a new initiative to explore joint measures to tackle these complex risks in this nature reserve,” Nuredini added.

The Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif area is one of the seven climate-security hotspots identified in the 2021 OSCE-adelphi report Regional Assessment for South-Eastern Europe: Security implications of climate change.

“Our work in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif is setting one of the first examples of seeking joint solutions to climate and biodiversity crisis through a security lens,” said Esra Buttanri, Senior Advisor at the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities. “This workshop is a major step forward by stakeholders in the region to develop a co-operation strategy and an implementation plan with concrete projects.”

“Challenges, such as illegal logging, uncontrolled hunting and limited livelihood opportunities, are shared across the four protected areas, and therefore require collaborative action,” highlighted Pia van Ackern, Advisor at the Berlin-based think tank adelphi. “In response, the stakeholders developed a set of concrete project ideas that would not only strengthen the resilience, security and livelihoods of communities in the area but also contribute to good neighbourly relationships.”

The Workshop “Climate Change and Security in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif Area: Developing a joint co-operation/adaptation strategy and an implementation plan” was organized 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, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the United States.

530356 Public Affairs Unit, OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Katya Andrusz

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report on Georgia’s 2021 local elections during a visit to Tbilisi that took place from 31 October to 3 November 2022.

The experts discussed the report’s key findings and recommendations with representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Election Commission, the Parliament’s Legal Issues Committee, the State Audit Office, the Ombudsperson, Tbilisi City Court, as well as representatives of political parties, civil society and media.

“We appreciate the constructive discussions with our counterparts. During these meetings we underlined that political will to implement ODIHR’s recommendations through an inclusive dialogue with wide range of electoral stakeholders is crucial in the efforts to advance democratic reforms towards a genuinely pluralistic political environment,” said Ambassador Albert Jónsson, Head of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission. “We welcome the willingness of the authorities to engage in the follow-up activities and they can rely on ODIHR's support and expertise in this process.”

ODIHR drew attention to its priority recommendations contained in the report, including on a comprehensive review of election laws, addressing intimidation and pressure on voters and candidates, and misuse of state resources, improving the level playing field, enhancing transparency of the lower-level election commissions’ selection, strengthening the campaign finance oversight, protecting safety of journalists, and others. ODIHR experts also held a dedicated discussion related to the implementation of gender-related electoral recommendations.

The ODIHR experts learnt about the ongoing electoral reform process, and welcomed the decision of the authorities to request ODIHR and the Venice Commission opinion on the draft amendments to the Election Code. Moreover, the experts offered further forms of assistance, including expert discussions, thematic workshops and electoral stakeholders expressed commitment to engage in further discussions and follow-up activities with ODIHR to bring Georgia’s elections closer in line with international standards and commitments.

All OSCE participating States have committed to promptly follow up on ODIHR’s electoral assessments and recommendations.