OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomes renewal of mandate and approval of budget of OSCE SMM – urges continued support for Mission on the ground

TIRANA, 20 March 2020 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, welcomed yesterday’s OSCE Permanent Council decision to renew the mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) for another year until 31 March 2021.

The mandate extension is also accompanied by an increase in the budget for the SMM. “The mandate renewal will ensure the SMM continues to make a huge difference on the ground. The additional finance that participating States have committed will support the Mission’s monitoring capacity and improve the safety and security of SMM staff, including through deploying and sustaining more monitoring officers, increasing its technical capabilities, and replacing its assets in accordance with the required standards,” Rama said.Expressing gratitude to the Mission, the Chairperson-in-Office recalled that the SMM continues to work in a volatile and unpredictable environment, and encouraged support for its personnel to be able to fully implement its mandate.“The women and men of the SMM work tirelessly to fulfil their mandate with the aim of contributing to reducing tensions and fostering peace, stability and security, and to monitoring and supporting the implementation of all OSCE principles and commitments, throughout Ukraine” Rama added. “I had the privilege to see their work first hand on my recent trip to Ukraine. They are our eyes and ears on the ground, helping also to prevent further escalation. I am delighted that the OSCE participating States have supported this package to reinforce the Mission’s work. This is a demonstration of their confidence in the valuable and indispensable work of the SMM, as the primary international monitoring presence on the ground,” Rama concluded.