OSCE

WARSAW/SKOPJE, 17 June 2022 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau, concluded his visit to Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia today. The trip focused on co-operation with the OSCE and efforts towards stability, security and strengthening democratic institutions in the South-Eastern Europe region.

In Montenegro, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office held talks on co-operation and security with President Milo Đukanović, Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ranko Krivokapić.

Minister Rau also met with Ambassador Dominique Waag, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, and Mission staff, whom he thanked for their excellent work, and with representatives of the civil society.

Minister Rau acknowledged the country’s recent reforms, which he perceives as reflecting the OSCE’s underlying principles and values and which make it a stable and constructive partner in the region. He pointed out that Montenegro’s solidarity, adherence to the rule of law and a culture of dialogue is strongly reaffirmed by the position it has taken recently at this difficult time for Europe and the world.

“Close relations and your country’s commitment to the values that have shaped the OSCE are yet again reflected in Montenegro’s unequivocal and principled position on Russian aggression against Ukraine,” stressed Minister Rau speaking to the Montenegrin leadership.

While in Tirana, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office spoke with Albania’s outgoing President Ilir Meta, President-elect Bajram Begaj and Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj. He also met with representatives of the OSCE Presence in Albania.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office confirmed the Organization’s support for the reform package implemented successively in Albania, which covers such fields as judicature, the rule of law, and fight against corruption.

“I am happy to confirm the OSCE’s readiness to extend further assistance to the reforms in important areas. Albania has been doing very well with their implementation. I also welcome the Albanian government’s strong support for the OSCE’s regional project concerning climate change and security in South-Eastern Europe,” said Minister Rau.

Minister Rau congratulated the hosts on the 30th anniversary of their membership of the Organization and on the 25th anniversary of the OSCE Presence in Albania.

During his visit to North Macedonia, Minister Rau met with President Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovačevski, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office had the opportunity to discuss the priorities of the North Macedonia OSCE Chairmanship in 2023 and stressed the political responsibility of the upcoming Chair to protect the Organization and its potential to promote stability and security in Europe.

Minister Rau also held bilateral talks with the UN Under-Secretary  General Rosemary DiCarlo and OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid, andparticipated in the Prespa Forum Dialogue where he spoke in the opening panel “What after the War in Ukraine?”.

“The Russo-Ukrainian war not only constitutes an “end of an era” for Europe. Its consequences will have immense and long term influence on the security situation in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond. We have to make sure that there will be no coming back to the previous status quo. I strongly hope that the whole OSCE community will draw necessary conclusions, and take indispensable actions to enhance rules-based order in Europe,” the OSCE Chairman-in-Office stressed.

520541

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan continues to support  the integration of environmental education  into the pre-school curriculum throughout the country. On 16 June 2022, the Project Co-ordinator jointly with the Ministry of Preschool Education and the Innovative Center for Information and Pedagogical Technologies organized a national high-level conference to present the programme on environmental education “Earth is Our Common Home” for preschool educational institutions.

The programme aims at providing children, parents, and teachers with the support in building knowledge and skills necessary to address complex environmental issues. It was developed within the framework of a national project on environmental education in compliance with the best practicesin the OSCE region. The program will help teachers and parents to raise  awareness of issues impacting the environment not only in the educational process of preschool institutions but also in the family.

The event brought together around 70 participants, including government officials, representatives of civil society, and the media.

OHRID, 17 June 2022 – We, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Poland, and North Macedonia, as the previous, current and incoming Chairpersons-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), joined with the OSCE Secretary General in this statement on the occasion of the second edition of the Prespа Forum Dialogue (PFD).

We are grateful to North Macedonia for the warm hospitality and the excellent organization of this event.

We noted that for the second year the PFD provided a unique platform for exchange of opinions on political–military, economic and environmental, and the human dimension, corresponding with the three core aspects of the OSCE’s mandate.

In the next years these topics will remain high on our agendas. Through fruitful intellectual and political debates, for instance at the PFD, we will continue to generate ideas for processes and practical solutions to issues of a regional and global character. 

These two days of deliberations in the heart of the Western Balkans was yet another opportunity to openly address the current security situation and the European perspectives of this region.

On this occasion, we reiterate our strong commitment to the fundamental principles of the OSCE, as expressed in the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris for a New Europe, which are based on international law, including the UN Charter.

As the OSCE region is confronted with new threats that seriously challenge the future of European stability and security, we reiterate calls for the full implementation of OSCE principles and commitments, including sovereign equality, refraining from the threat or use of force, respect for territorial integrity, and the freedom of States to choose their own security arrangements, as well as respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief.

The OSCE participating States have created various mechanisms to build confidence and security. They are an indispensable part of the European security order.

Deplorably, from 24 February of this year, we are confronted with the unprecedented, unjustified and unlawful aggression by the Russian Federation against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This is a clear violation of international law and the OSCE commitments and principles on which our Organization is based.

We urge the Russian Federation to adhere to its international commitments and stop the aggression, to withdraw its troops from Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and to undertake other necessary steps for de-escalation. 

We deplore that our common efforts invested in trust and dialogue were abandoned and condemn the fact that force was chosen over dialogue and co-operation. 

Political dialogue is the only rightful response that will halt the atrocities and further escalation of the war.

The war must be resolved in accordance with international law and OSCE principles and commitments. In this regard, full accountability should apply for the violations and abuses of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. 

The consequences of the unprecedented illegal aggression go far beyond Ukraine and the OSCE region. The continued conflict risks leading to a humanitarian disaster and suffering for which the Russian Federation bears full responsibility.

The OSCE Troika, together with the OSCE Secretary General, pledge to work to preserve and promote the core values of our unique Organization, for the benefit and prosperity of its participating States and their peoples.

In that regard we highly value the work and activities of the OSCE Secretariat and the OSCE institutions – the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, and the Representative on Freedom of the Media – which were founded to assist participating States to uphold our jointly agreed commitments and principles. They are at the core of the OSCE’s work.

We also reaffirm the importance of the OSCE field operations and the value they deliver to the people and institutions of their host countries. They have been established upon requests for assistance by the hosting participating States. This principle needs to be respected. We therefore reiterate our firm support for the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s valuable work in Ukraine, which continues to provide support and call on all participating States to extend the mission’s mandate before it expires at the end of the month. 

The OSCE‘s approach to security is comprehensive. All three dimensions are equally key to sustainable peace. Human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law are at the core of the comprehensive concept of security. They are prerequisites for peace and inextricably linked to security between States. We emphasize the crucial role of civil society, including human rights defenders, and women’s organizations, and free, independent, and pluralistic media for our comprehensive security.

Civil society and independent media are essential to a free and open society and accountable systems of government and are of particular importance in safeguarding human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy - including genuinely democratic and pluralistic elections - and the rule of law. We deeply regret that we could not reach consensus on holding this year’s Human Dimension Implementation Meeting.

It is in the interest of all participating States to ensure that the operations in all parts of our organization continue to function well. We therefore call for the swift adoption of the 2022 OSCE Unified Budget and other essential consensus decisions, in support of our organization’s role to build security for all, based on the principles on which the OSCE was founded.

520535 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 Uzbekistan’s 2021 presidential election during a visit to Tashkent that took place from 14 to 17 June 2022.

The experts discussed the report’s key findings and recommendations with representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs, justice, and development of information technologies and communications, the Central Election Commission, the parliament’s lower chamber, the Agency of Information and Mass Communications, the Ombudsperson, as well as representatives of political parties, civil society and the media.

“We appreciate the frank and constructive discussions with our Uzbekistani counterparts  following our observation of the presidential election last year,” said Eoghan Murphy, Head of the ODIHR Election Observation Mission. “The authorities can rely on ODIHR's support and expertise in their efforts to advance democratic reforms towards a genuinely pluralistic political environment. We have also discussed the importance of including a wide range of electoral stakeholders in the reform process.”

Discussions focused on recommendations contained in the report. These include conducting a comprehensive review of election laws, removing remaining restrictions on the fundamental rights of expression, peaceful assembly and association, ensuring a clear separation between state and party, lifting restrictions on candidacy rights, strengthening integrity of the voter registration, providing for citizen election observation by independent civil society organizations. The implementation of gender-related electoral recommendations was also discussed during a dedicated roundtable event.

The ODIHR experts learnt about the ongoing constitutional and electoral reform process. In this context, the experts offered various forms of assistance, including expert discussions, thematic workshops and legal reviews, and electoral stakeholders expressed commitment to engage in further discussions and follow-up activities with ODIHR to bring Uzbekistan’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.

520514 Farhod Nabiyulloev Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The representatives of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) and Tajikistan’s Interior Ministry (Ministry) inaugurated Ministry’s coordination centre and new office premises on 14 June 2022 in Dushanbe. 

The Office provided expert advice and material aid to the Ministry for refurbishment of four modern reception facilities equipped with video surveillance system and two-way mirrors. The facilities will allow for modern investigation techniques and serve for protection of witnesses. 

The Office also supported the Ministry in establishment of a new coordination centre capable of connecting the Ministry’s headquarters with its regional departments online for operational issues, as well as renovated offices of the Ministry’s Women Council to implement modern approaches of gender mainstreaming.

In the inauguration ceremony, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Tea Jaliashvili, said: “Our work to further promote gender aspects in the work of the Ministry will be further strengthened.”

In addition to technical assistance, the Office supported the Ministry in the development of the draft regulation on the Association of Police Women and organized a round table discussion for Tajikistan’s law enforcement officers to review its Charter. 

The Deputy Minister of Interior, General-Mayor Saidnakhsh Rahmonzoda appreciated the fruitful cooperation between the OSCE and the Ministry and emphasized that despite of COVID-19 challenges in 2020-2021, the OSCE and the Ministry were able to continue the work for creating mobile police receptions and analytical units, as well as refurbishment of office premises in the Ministry and its district directorates. He expressed hope for OSCE’s continued support, including the organization of donor coordination mechanism for implementation of Ministry’s projects.

The Chairperson of the Women's Council, Colonel Bibikhol Khushbakhtzoda thanked the OSCE for support and informed that the Council will review the Charter of the Association of Women's Councils in August 2022 and will submit it to the leadership of the Ministry for approval.

520481

On 16 June 2022, the OSCE Gender Issues Programme and the Transnational Threats Department’s Action against Terrorism Unit organized an online validation workshop on the needs assessment for creating two regional networks for female practitioners in preventing and countering violent extremism that lead to radicalization (P/CVERLT) in South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Based on the needs assessment, carried out by the OSCE in early 2022, the OSCE plans to form two regional women P/CVERLT networks for South-Eastern Europe and Central Asia, with elements of cross-regional engagement and sharing. The networks will build on existing OSCE initiatives such as the Leaders against Intolerance and Violent Extremism (LIVE) Community of Practice.

The workshop gathered together 40 participants from governments, security, education, health and social welfare sectors, civil society, academia and international organizations. During the workshop, participants had the opportunity to validate and discuss key findings and recommendations of the needs assessment and to provide insights and advice on the management model, membership and objectives of the two regional networks.

The aim of the initiative is to provide a platform for the female P/CVERLT professionals in the two regions to exchange good practices, to learn from one another and to build long-lasting professional and personal relationships. It will also serve as a generator of new ideas and perspectives and lift up voices of women professionals in informing and shaping gender-sensitive P/CVERLT policies. In addition, the networks are envisaged to contribute to strengthened relationship between the authorities and non-governmental actors.

The workshop was implemented under the WIN for Women and Men: Strengthening Comprehensive Security through Innovating and Networking for Gender Equality (WIN) project, which aims to improve gender equality by taking action on Gender Based Violence, Economic Justice and Rights and Technology and Innovation.

520439 Andrii Dziubenko

Data and analysis on nearly 5000 incidents of war-related damages in Ukraine show that 92 industrial facilities in the high or very high environmental risk category were affected.  

The data stems from a recently created online map-based platform, Ecodozor, developed by Zoï Environment Network and supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine.

Presented today at the Ukraine Media Centre in Lviv, the platform draws on OSCE’s experience in assessing environmental damage in the eastern regions of Ukraine, affected by armed conflict since 2014.

The damages and disruptions were gathered from across the whole of Ukraine and included

infrastructure damage due to bombing and shelling, interrupted water, gas and electricity supplies, and disrupted industrial operations. The effects of these environmental threats are yet to be investigated.

“Of course, in these tragic times of war, we think first of all about people whose lives are in immediate danger from ongoing hostilities. Yet, we shouldn’t forget that environmental damage can have long-term effects on health and lives of everyone in the affected areas and beyond,” said Henrik Villadsen, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator during the event.

“This needs to be taken into account already in planning and accumulation of resources for assistance in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine,” he added.

The Ecodozor platform will be continuously updated, to assist researchers and policy makers in developing a comprehensive response to environmental threats.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator has been helping Ukrainian authorities to enhance their system of emergency response especially in the sphere of chemical safety and security. This includes several approaches, such as harmonizing regulatory systems with internationally accepted standards, reforming first responders trainings and enhancing capacities in identification of toxic chemicals.

The Co-ordinator has also supported the country in enhancing monitoring of its water resources in the Siverskyi Donets river basin. The reports, with data on these studies, are available here.

520409 Marina Živaljević

Dominique Waag, Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and Maja Jovanović, Acting Supreme State Prosecutor, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 16 June 2022.

The Memorandum will further contribute to effective implementation of the ongoing three-year project “Supporting a More Effective Administration of Justice in Organised Crime and Corruption Cases through Trial Monitoring”, funded by the European Union and implemented by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro. This is part of a regional project, also implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania, Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mission to Skopje and Mission in Kosovo.

Ambassador Waag explained that project monitors trials by observing court hearings and examining case files. The collected data is triangulated after consultations with judges and prosecutors. Currently 43 cases, which are primarily under the jurisdiction of the Special Prosecutor’s Office are being monitored.

“The project also includes media analysis, which examines how media reports ongoing cases and instances when independence of prosecution may be undermined. I hope that the findings and recommendations of the project will support a more effective administration of justice in organised crime and corruption cases, which can be of use not only to prosecutors, but also to other important players in the justice sector,” said Ambassador Waag.

Acting Supreme State Prosecutor Jovanović welcomed the signing of the Memorandum and pointed out that in this way the State Prosecutor’s Office shows that it is giving its full contribution to the project. At the same time, she thanked for the continuous support that the State Prosecutor’s Office receives from the OSCE Mission, pointing to the readiness of the Mission to support them by providing the professional equipment for the press room.

“In addition to press conferences, sessions of the Prosecutorial Council can also be held in that hall, with the possibility of live broadcasting. I am fully convinced that this would greatly contribute to increasing the transparency of the State Prosecutor’s organization,” said Jovanović, adding that they also need support from the Cadastre and State Property Administration, which should help them provide adequate premises.

Waag and Jovanović also discussed the ways to tackle hate speech and ongoing and future joint activities related to domestic and gender based violence, trafficking in human beings, protecting children from online exploitation and intelligence led policing.

Warsaw, 15 June 2022 – Following the death sentences handed down to three soldiers reported to be members of the Ukrainian armed forces, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) strongly condemns both their prosecution and sentencing, which have taken place in violation of international humanitarian law.

The court sentences were pronounced against two British nationals and one Moroccan national on 9 June 2022 in a non-government-controlled area of eastern Ukraine. Under international humanitarian law, combatants in the power of the enemy are entitled to prisoner of war status and cannot be prosecuted or punished purely for taking an active part in hostilities, even if this participation is defined as a criminal offence by the parties to an armed conflict.

The Office emphasises that all parties to an armed conflict are bound by international humanitarian law, including entities under the overall control of one of the parties to the conflict as in the present case. ODIHR calls on the Russian Federation to guarantee the rights of prisoners of war in line with the Third Geneva Convention, ensuring full respect for international humanitarian law.

All OSCE participating States have agreed that no form of public emergency,  including a state of war, a threat of war or internal political instability, can justify torture or other ill-treatment, or be used as an argument to disregard or undercut international humanitarian and international human rights law. There is also a growing consensus globally that the death penalty is a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. The vast majority of OSCE states have either completely abolished the death penalty, or maintain moratoria on executions as an important step towards complete abolition.

OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized online seminar on international experience in the modernization of water sector through the implementation of digital systems took place from 14 to 15 June 2022. The two-day event analysed global trends, policies and strategies in this area, and facilitated a discussion of further steps to modernize Turkmenistan's water management system.

Representatives from the State Committee of Water Economy of Turkmenistan, Hydrometeorology Service under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, other relevant ministries and non-governmental organizations attended the event.

Four international experts from Albania, the Netherlands and Switzerland facilitated the event and presented best practices of the OSCE participating States in the implementation of innovative solutions and digital systems for sustainable water management.

“Water management has always been an integral part of the OSCE agenda, reflecting the Organization`s comprehensive approach to economic and environmental matters. The OSCE has a long track record of supporting the OSCE participating States to jointly manage water resources sustainably and has successfully supported co-operation among its participating States,” said Ivana Markovic-Boskovic, Economic and Environmental Officer of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat.

“Bearing in mind the devastating impacts of global warming and climate change on water resources, it is essential to develop and modernize the water sector through implementation of advanced solutions and digital systems which have become critical elements for enabling effective water management and distribution,” added Markovic-Boskovic.

The experts also elaborated on the use of open source data to improve hydrological water balance modelling, as well as the employment of open access to data and educational materials to develop a monitoring system to protect freshwater resources in Central Asia. They introduced participants to satellite remote sensing and its application for the analysis of irrigation efficiency and crop mapping in the Central Asian region, along with digital solutions to protect freshwater resources from environmental pollution.

520223 Željka Šulc

SARAJEVO, 15 June 2022 – A  Media Sector Needs Assessment, conducted by the Prism Research Agency with the support of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Embassy of Sweden was presented today, 15 June 2022, in Sarajevo at the offices of BIRN. The purpose of the Assessment is to understand the needs of the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), including by gaining a picture of media consumption habits, perceptions and needs of the public, and to offer recommendations to strengthen  the  development of independent media in BiH. 

The Assessment is based on a public opinion survey of 1,000 people carried out during February 2022, interviews with media representatives as well as focus group discussions with media consumers.

“It is essential to understand the reasons behind the drop in the country’s standing in the Free Media Index of Reporters Without Borders, as well as what can be done to reverse this concerning trend,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “It is in the interest of the public to have media that is strong, independent, and the one that follows the highest professional and ethical standards.”

Dino Đipa, from the Prism Research Agency said that the citizens are quite unhappy with the media situation in BiH. General impression is that a very bias, unobjective and unprofessional reporting, fake news and hate speech have been dominating.“The citizens are aware of the fact that, generally, the media have been exposed to political and economic pressures, and that is largely being percieved as the main reason of this negative media situation in BiH. That is why the citizens have been expressing a very low level of trust in the media and its reporting,“ stressed Đipa.

Addressing the lack of robust and comprehensive data on the nature and extent of various needs and issues the media is faced in BiH is central to developing an understanding of the scope of the problem and, therefore, to developing an effective response.

“Media freedom is a corner stone in any democracy. From the Swedish side we are happy that this study will hopefully give us all a better picture of the media freedom in the country and how it can be strengthened,” said Eva Smedberg, Counsellor Development Co-operation at the Embassy of Sweden in BiH.

The Media Sector Needs Assessment was also presented in Mostar on 9 June 2022 and in Banjaluka on 13 June 2022 and it is part of wider efforts to address the challenges related to media freedom and freedom of expression in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

VIENNA, 15 June 2022 – Participants at the 2022 OSCE Asian Conference discussed synergies and opportunities for co-operation with a particular focus on the role of women in building confidence, peace and security, on climate‑related challenges to security and on the role of civil society today. Hosted by Sweden, the 2022 OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group Chair, the conference was held both online and in person from Vienna.

In her opening statement, Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, underlined the unique opportunity the Chairpersonship gives Sweden to contribute to strengthening the partnership between the OSCE and Asia, and to safeguarding the rules-based international system.

Highlighting the complex challenges posed by Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and last year’s negative developments in Afghanistan, the minister stated: “The only way to overcome the acute challenges we face is to work together to reconfirm our commitments while holding to account those who violate them.”  

Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council underlined that as we monitor the changing security landscape across the OSCE area, Asia, and beyond we face challenges the character of which is not restricted to one state’s territory or even to one region.

“The Russian aggression against Ukraine is not only a tragedy for Ukraine and a fundamental challenge for the international community, but also is a game-changer for international relations globally,” Ambassador Hałaciński said.

Bujar Osmani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, called for strengthened partnership while reaffirming North Macedonia’s support for further OSCE engagement in the region to mitigate risks and address challenges related to the crisis in Afghanistan, particularly in neighbouring participating States.

“Today’s global security challenges are common, immediate and immense. We are sharing similar problems and worries and thus we should share the burden of responsibility for active co-operation and engagement,” he added.

“The war against Ukraine remains our clear focus, and at the same time, the work we do together with our partners is vital,” said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. “This conference is an opportunity to share what we’ve done on a range of topics – including our work to assess and address potential security risks stemming from climate change – and to learn from our Asian partners about their experiences.”

“The world needs more multilateralism, not less,” said Sarun Charoensuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand. “It is especially in these trying times that we need to explore and exhaust all possible avenues to allow for continued dialogues paving the way for win-win resolutions and further intensifying international co-operation on all fronts.”

The annual OSCE Asian Conference gives OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation an opportunity to share experiences and lessons learned in Asia.

520196 OSCE Centre in Ashgabat

An OSCE-organized regional training workshop on countering terrorism with a particular focus on protecting critical infrastructures such as hydropower systems, energy grids and transport lines started on 14 June 2022. The three-day online and in person event aimed to support building resilience against threats to the critical infrastructure and served as a platform for discussing measures of enhancing the protection of critical infrastructure.

The workshop is a good example of multi-stakeholder partnership, as it was organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat with support from the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) as well as the OSCE Secretariat’s Border Security and Management and Action against Terrorism Units.

The event brought together around fifty officials from relevant border and security agencies of the five Central Asian countries.

In his welcoming speech, John MacGregor, Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat noted: “In 2007, the OSCE Ministerial Council issued a Ministerial Statement on Supporting the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy which encouraged to step up all efforts to improve the security and protection of particularly vulnerable targets, such as infrastructure and public places.”

“Over the last three decades, the Central Asian countries have developed numerous critical infrastructures, and protecting them is crucial for the region’s stability, security and prosperity,” added MacGregor. “Through awareness raising and information sharing on protecting critical infrastructures, the Centre seeks to further promote regional co-operation and provide a platform for gaining insights into best practices of other states.”

Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Central Asia, Head of the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, Ambassador of Japan to Turkmenistan and UNOCT Regional Coordination Officer also made opening speeches.

The international experts, OSCE and UNOCT experts emphasized the need for compliance of policies and measures to protect critical infrastructure in line with OSCE commitments and relevant UN Security Council resolutions on protection of critical infrastructure against terrorist acts as well as the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The experts presented cascading detrimental effects of critical infrastructure incidents, and underscored the need for putting adequate incident management mechanisms and processes in place to minimize the impact on the essential function in the event of deliberate terrorist attacks.

The participants discussed the core dimensions of critical infrastructure protection against terrorist attacks from both a national and cross-border perspective. Representatives from Central Asian countries presented their recommendations for topics of the next regional online training on protecting critical infrastructure from terrorist threats.

The 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.

520202 Marina Živaljević

On 15 June 2022, the OSCE Mission to Montenegro supported the NGO SOS Helpline Nikšić, a shelter for women and children survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, by assisting them in extending their facility licenses, as well as donated bedroom, dining and living room furniture to improve the living conditions of survivors of violence.

Nataša Međedović, Executive Coordinator of NGO SOS Helpline Nikšić, thanked the Mission for this valuable donation, which, she said, will help the shelter meet the requirements for extending the license. “In addition to ensuring safety to the victims within the shelter, this furniture will make their accommodation more comfortable and will help them adapt to new living arrangements at difficult moments in their lives,” said Međedović.

Siv-Katrine Leirtroe, Deputy Head of the Mission, said that shelters are essential in providing specialized support and protection to survivors of domestic violence and improving their well-being. “I believe that this donation ensures that the shelter continues to provide safe refuge to women and their children from domestic and gender-based violence in line with relevant national and international standards and good practices,” said Leirtroe.

She added that violence against women and girls is not a personal problem, to be implicitly or explicitly dismissed and not reported. “The Mission will continue to closely co-operate with civil society and institutions supporting zero tolerance within the society towards violence against women and girls. This requires everyone to take immediate and decisive actions in order to prevent and eradicate this societal issue,” said Leirtroe.

VIENNA, 15 June 2022 - Addressing current challenges related to human trafficking and implementing international commitments, policies, and standards set forth by the OSCE and the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings were the focus of the largest annual gathering of national anti-trafficking co-ordinators and rapporteurs. Representatives from 55 OSCE participating States and three of the OSCE Partners for Co-Operation participated in a discussion organized by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and the Council of Europe that took place in Vienna on 13 and 14 June.

The OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, Valiant Richey, said the discussion was timely as the global fight against trafficking is at a turning point.  

“Profits of trafficking are rising rapidly while criminals are expanding their operations, particularly online. And now, a new humanitarian crisis in Europe, stemming from the war in Ukraine, creates conditions these criminals are only too happy to exploit,” he said.

“Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has caused the largest exodus of human beings in Europe since World War II. Those of us who believe in the rule of law, who accept our society's obligation to protect the vulnerable, and who have the luxury of safety and security, must surely respond to this situation with action,” stressed Marcin Czapliński, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Polish OSCE 2022 Chairmanship. “This is a meeting of the ‘doers’ who can make a difference in the fight against human trafficking.”

The participants discussed human trafficking-related challenges, including policy initiatives to combat technology-facilitated trafficking. The working groups exchanged views on data from the OSCE and the Council of Europe on the progress of national anti-trafficking efforts and current trends. Participants also discussed the actions needed to prevent and mitigate the risks of trafficking stemming from the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe’s Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, added: “Beyond the immediate risks of human trafficking inherent in armed conflict, the social and economic vulnerabilities of the millions of people affected by the humanitarian crisis provoked by the war in Ukraine are likely to increase as time goes. Hence, the need to put in place robust safeguards, prevention and detection mechanisms. As stressed by Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), co-ordinated action and rapid exchange of information at national and international level are crucial to prevent trafficking and detect potential victims.”

To enhance its response efforts, the OSCE is launching a major project to support States in addressing those risks and strengthen national anti-trafficking efforts.

VIENNA, 14 June 2022 – The 2022 OSCE Asian Conference, focusing on “Strengthening security for all and by all – synergies and opportunities for co‑operation between Europe and Asia," will be held on 15 June 2022, in a hybrid format, at the Hofburg in Vienna and online. The Conference is organized by Sweden, the 2022 Chair of the OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group, with the support of the OSCE External Co-operation Section/OSCE Secretariat.

Representatives of the 57 OSCE participating States, OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation, international organizations, academia and the private sector will discuss options for strengthened co-operation with a particular focus on the role of women in building confidence, peace and security, climate‑related challenges to security, and the role of civil society.

The Conference will be opened by:

• H.E. Ms. Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden;
• H.E. Ambassador Adam Hałaciński, Permanent Representative of Poland to the OSCE, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, Polish 2022 OSCE Chairpersonship;
• H.E. Mr. Bujar Osmani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia;
• H.E. Ms. Helga Maria Schmid, Secretary General of the OSCE;
• H.E. Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

The opening session on Wednesday, 15 June, from 10.00 to 11.00, will be live streamed on www.osce.org/live. No registration is required.

For questions, please contact press@osce.org.

520031 Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Ton van den Brandt

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) Teresa Ribeiro concluded her visit to Bucharest from 7 to 8 June, where she met with several high-level government representatives and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as parliamentarians, members of the National Audiovisual Council. Ribeiro also held meetings with a number of well-known media representatives to hear first-hand about the major challenges that journalists in Romania face.

Editorial independence and relevance of the Public Service Media were the focus of discussions Ribeiro held with journalists and management representatives of the Romanian Public Service Broadcaster TVR.

Ribeiro and her counterparts discussed concerns related to legislative measures by way of emergency ordinances, the issue of access to information, the safety situation of journalists and the independence of the public broadcaster. Ribeiro offered the support and expertise of her Office to strengthen media freedom in Romania. Recognizing many of the challenges, the interlocutors expressed their willingness to work together with the Representative and her Office.

520025 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) supported the Main Prison Department under Tajikistan’s Ministry of Justice to inaugurate a production unit and medical room in the female prison in Nurek district on 10 June 2022. The Acting Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Ambassador Vuk Zugic, and the Head of the Main Prison Department under Tajikistan’s Justice Ministry, General Mansurjon Umarov, attended the official opening ceremony.

The Office refurbished a sewing workshop in the female prison and equipped it with 24 modern sewing machines, necessary appliances and furniture. The workshop includes a cutting room, vocational training class, kitchen, shower and changing room. Over 50 female prisoners will be engaged in income-generating production in the sewing workshop. More than 100 female prisoners will undergo certified tailoring courses, which will help them learn new skills and increase employment opportunities after their release.

Ambassador Zugic highlighted importance of effective implementation of the comprehensive approach on rehabilitation and social reintegration of prisoners according to national legislation and international standards, with special focus on needs of vulnerable groups: women, juveniles, elderly, national minorities and people with disabilities. 

The Office also renovated medical room and equipped it with one ultrasound device and one X-ray apparatus to provide operative medical treatment and support to female prisoners. As part of this support, the Office installed relevant household appliances and technical equipment in the visiting room.

The sewing workshop and medcial room were established as part of the overall rehabilitation and reintegration efforts, income generating activities and improving conditions for inmates.

VIENNA/WARSAW, 10 June 2022 — The OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zbigniew Rau, will visit Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia from 13 to 17 June for meetings with high-level officials.

In Montenegro, Minister Rau will meet with President Milo Đukanović, Prime Minister Dritan Abazović and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ranko Krivokapić.

During his visit to Albania, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office will talk with President Ilir Meta, Speaker of Parliament Lindita Nikolla, Prime Minister Edi Rama and President-elect Bajram Begaj. 

In North Macedonia, Rau will have discussions with President Stevo Pendarovski, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bujar Osmani. He will take part in the Prespa Forum Dialogue conference which will focus on the role and future of the Western Balkans in the contemporary security architecture of Europe and the situation in Ukraine.      

Minister Rau will also meet with the OSCE field operations in  the visited participating States.

For more information about Poland's 2022 OSCE Chairmanship, please visit the OSCE website: https://www.osce.org/chairmanship.

519975 Munira Shoinbekova, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe Farhod Nabiyulloev

To support the vital work in maintaining the security of Tajikistan, its border troops have received protective, technical and transport equipment for use along the border with Afghanistan.  

In a ceremony on 6 June 2022 in Dushanbe, the OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, the Commander of the Border Troops, Colonel-General Rajabali Rahmonali and Ambassador of the European Union to Tajikistan, Marilyn Josefson, presented the equipment to officers of Tajikistan’s border troops.

The donation included 380 personal protective and survival equipment kits, eight desktop computers with LCD monitors and two vehicles, which would be used for field operations by Tajik border officers serving along the 1,350 kilometer border with Afghanistan.

At the ceremony, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid said: “The co-operation between the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and the Border Troops is contributing to security and stability in the whole region. We stand ready to further deepen our co-operation to address the challenges for Tajikistan stemming from instability in Afghanistan.”

Colonel-General Rajabali Rahmonali, Commander of the Border Troops of Tajikistan extended his gratitude for the OSCE’s continued co-operation in the area of border security and management, and his appreciation for the EU’s donation and financial assistance in implementing the project. He added: “The EU-funded project “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan”, being implemented by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, is providing the border services with skills needed in responding to security incidents and effectively protecting the border.  Since the project began in 2020, over 500 border officers have participated in practical training on operational planning and sustaining field operations.  Currently, another group of 76 officers in the Sughd region are enhancing their skills on a similar operational capacity course.”

Marilyn Josefson, Ambassador of the European Union to Tajikistan said: “The first phase of the EU-funded project, that focuses on strengthening the capacity of the border troops in field-, operational-, and planning capacities, is successfully coming to a close. And the civil equipment that has been purchased to support the border guards work such as – 2 cars, 4 boats and 380 personal training kits and 8 laptops - will immediately come to good use along the Tajik-Afghan border.  Furthermore, we stay committed to continue supporting the security along the Tajik-Afghan border by providing additional training and infrastructure over the next 18 months. Hereby extending our close trilateral partnership with the OSCE and the Tajik Border troops.”

The donation of technical equipment is part of the OSCE’s project on the “Stabilization of Tajikistan’s southern border region with Afghanistan”, funded within the framework of the EU Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation Instrument. The project aims to increase the professional capacity of both Tajikistan’s Border Troops and Afghan Border Services to better tackle illicit activities in border areas.

The project also aims to strengthen the capacity of the Committee on Emergency Situations and Civil Defense to respond to natural disasters in border regions.