OSCE Chair-in-Office Ian Borg addresses Organizational functionality in talks at UNGA

NEW YORK CITY, 27 September 2024 – In numerous meetings on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, Chair-in-Office of the OSCE, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Malta, Ian Borg engaged in discussions focused on ensuring the functionality and resilience of the OSCE in the face of regional and global challenges.

In a meeting with the OSCE Troika, Deputy Prime Minister Borg reviewed the current situation with Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Timčo Mucunski, Foreign Minister of Finland Elina Valtonen, and the Officer-in-Charge/Secretary General, Catherine Fearon. Ministers emphasized the need to maintain the full and unrestricted functioning of the OSCE by reaching consensus on key decisions, including the appointment of new leadership and the adoption of a budget. Discussions also focused on the Organization’s engagement in mitigating the impacts of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine as well as Finland's priorities for its Chairpersonship in 2025.

“The OSCE stands at a critical juncture,” Minister Borg stated. “Resilience must be more than a guiding principle; it must be the cornerstone of our actions. Our joint task is to preserve the Organization’s integrity and steer it through turbulent times. Our strength lies in our ability to adapt, anticipate, and act decisively, ensuring that the OSCE continues to serve as a bastion of security, dialogue, and co-operation.”

Minister Borg also exchanged with his counterparts from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Serbia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.  The talks focused on the need for co-operation to reinforce the OSCE’s ability to maintain operational continuity amid growing financial pressures and the challenges posed by leadership transition.

Deputy Prime Minister Borg reiterated Malta’s commitment to ensuring the OSCE remains equipped to confront today’s challenges while preparing for the uncertainties of tomorrow. “The Maltese Chairpersonship will continue to engage actively with all participating States, stressing the urgency of collective responsibility in taking critical institutional decisions that will secure the Organization’s functioning and resilience in the long-term,” he remarked.

These talks also served as a precursor to the upcoming OSCE Ministerial Council (Malta, 5-6 December 2024), where Foreign Ministers from the 57 participating States will gather to assess the security landscape across the Euro-Atlantic and Eurasian regions and evaluate the Organization’s progress in key areas of activity.