2014 OSCE Mediterranean Conference

The year of 2014 marks two important events for the OSCE dialogue with its Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation – firstly, the twentieth anniversary of the establishment of the existing framework for co-operation between the OSCE and the Partners for Co-operation, namely of the Contact Group, and secondly, the twentieth OSCE Mediterranean Conference is taking place.  This year, Bosnia and Herzegovina is hosting this traditional and important event on the shores of the Mediterranean Basin, in Neum.

The Conference on the topic “Illicit Trafficking in Small Arms and Light Weapons and Fight against Terrorism in the Mediterranean Region” will be held on 27 and 28 October 2014.

Proliferation of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) constitutes a grave threat to global security, fuelling conflicts, preventing lasting peace and socio-economic development in conflict inflicted regions.

Participants will include representatives of the OSCE participating States, the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia), international organizations and NGOs.

They will discuss challenges associated with arms trafficking; illicit trading routes in the OSCE region and other affected areas will be examined to identify possible measures and tools to fight this threat.

Enhancing co-operation in countering terrorism marks another highly important agenda points: implementation of an international legal framework to intensify the exchange of information on terrorist persons, forged travel documents and traffic of sensitive materials. A special focus will be given to the issue of foreign fighters, in light of the recent adoption of UNSC Res. 2178 (2014) condemning violent extremism, underscoring need to prevent travel, Support for foreign terrorist fighters.

As a follow-up on last year’s conference, enhancing the role of women in public, political and economic life will also be discussed.

A side event on the tragic situation of irregular migrants in the Mediterranean Sea will be held by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at the conference venue in Neum on 27 October 2014.

The Conference will be opened jointly by Foreign Minister Lagumdžija of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Thomas Greminger of Switzerland, Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council, Ambassador Vuk Žugić, Chairperson of the Mediterranean Group of Contact, Dijana Vukomanović, Head of the Serbian delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, on behalf of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, and the OSCE Secretary General, Ambassador Lamberto Zannier.

The four Sessions of the conference will focus on:

Session I:     The issue at stake – current and emerging threats in small arms and light weapons illicit trafficking

Session II:    SALW illicit trafficking: routes and modalities

Session III: Counter-terrorism – shared experience and enhancing co-operation between the OSCE and the Mediterranean Partners

Session IV: Enhancing the role of women in public, political and economic life (follow-up to the Mediterranean Conference 2013)

The OSCE Permanent Council Decision No. PC.DEC/1127, containing the agenda and organizational modalities of the Conference is available here.

The practical arrangements of the event, including information regarding the location and registration procedure, will be made available on this website in due course.