Conflict Prevention Centre

Participating States committed to refraining from the threat or use of force and the importance of peaceful settlement of disputes in the Helsinki Final Act 1975. 

In particular, the document advocates that the use of force not be “employed as a means of settling disputes” and that participating States instead “will settle disputes among them by peaceful means in such a manner as not to endanger international peace and security, and justice”. 

This prepared the groundwork for the 1990 Charter of Paris, which established the Conflict Prevention Centre, tasking it with supporting and implementing confidence- and security-building measures and other functions concerning dispute conciliation and settlement.

The Conflict Prevention Centre facilitates political dialogue among participating States in the Forum for Security Co-operation, an autonomous OSCE decision-making body dealing with military security, thus contributing to the implementation of confidence- and security-building measures. One example of this is the Communications Network, which complements traditional diplomatic channels with a secure and reliable infrastructure that enables military information exchange and dialogue. The Centre also keeps track of all military verification activities under the Vienna Document.

Furthermore, the Centre is the OSCE-wide focal point for early warning and early and preventive action. It also supports negotiation, mediation and dialogue facilitation efforts and processes to prevent and resolve crises and conflicts. 

The Centre supports the daily work of OSCE field operations and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process and for the South Caucasus, and provides policy advice and analysis on security matters. It is the primary link between field operations and other OSCE bodies, and supports the Organization’s programme and project management work.

The Conflict Prevention Centre has approximately 60 staff, organized into several units and services.

• Policy Support Service,  which includes four regional desks and the Mediation Support Team
• Operations Service, which consists of the Planning and Analysis Team, the Situation/Communications Room, and the Security Sector Governance and Reform Team
• Programming and Evaluation Support Unit
• Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit, which provides support for the Forum and also includes the Small Arms and Light Weapons/Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition team and the Communications Network