Slovenia holds last meeting as Chair of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation

VIENNA, 18 July 2018 – Slovenia worked towards restoring confidence and advancing meaningful dialogue among OSCE participating States and placed particular focus on the role of women in security processes, said Chairperson of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) and Permanent Representative of Slovenia to the OSCE Ambassador Andrej Benedejčič as he opened the last meeting of the FSC as Chair.

"One of the recurring themes of our Chairmanship was the role of women in security processes. Forty-two per cent of all the speakers at our Security Dialogues were female," said Benedejčič. Recalling that one of the Security Dialogues focused on nuclear security, he said: "If gender can be mainstreamed in nuclear security, it can be mainstreamed anywhere." 

Benedejčič added that Slovenia highlighted the key role men have to play in promoting gender equality. He mentioned that the webpage of the OSCE MenEngage Network – which Benedejčič heads - was launched during Slovenia’s FSC Chairmanship. In addition, officials from the OSCE Secretariat and delegations of participating States performed the play SEVEN, which charts the real-life experiences of seven women from around the world in challenging security situations.

The high calibre of the exchange of views on this issue and others shows that the FSC continues to provide "a unique platform to address politico-military issues in the OSCE area," said Benedejčič. 

"The crisis in and around Ukraine has remained a major topic of debate at the FSC. In light of the current situation in the OSCE area, these discussions offer a valuable opportunity for a frank exchange of views between participating States. Despite all the challenges the FSC has continued to contribute significantly to the overall efforts to lower tensions and promote co-operation," he said. "I am therefore confident that it will also continue to effectively address politico-military issues in the future, with the aim of restoring confidence in the OSCE region."

Benedejčič noted that one of the ways forward in this regard was the continuation of discussions on the modernization of the Vienna Document on confidence- and security-building measures (CSBMs). Multilateral mechanisms, like the OSCE, are also crucial to restoring trust and confidence - a key conclusion from the special commemorative session organized by the Slovenian FSC Chair on the centenary of the end of the First World War, he recalled.

Other Security Dialogues focused on the importance of export controls and deactivation in countering the illicit spread of small arms and light weapons, regional military co-operation in the Western Balkans and the role of mine action in all phases of the conflict cycle.

The Chairmanship organized the annual meeting reviewing the implementation of the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security, and on the margins led discussions on national best practices and a discussion on the challenges presented by private military and security companies for human rights and the rule of law.

Working closely with the Italian OSCE Chairmanship, the FSC Chair organized  joint meetings of the FSC and the Permanent Council on the Structured Dialogue process and on security in the Mediterranean region, as well as a working session on conventional arms control and CSBMs during the Annual Security Review Conference. 

Presenting the insignia of the FSC Chair to his successor, Ambassador Ulrika Funered of Sweden, Benedejčič assured her of Slovenia’s full support during the upcoming Swedish FSC Chairmanship later this year.