In the area of migration, participating States agreed to continue supporting the work of the OSCE and to use the Organization as a platform for dialogue and to continue addressing migration-related issues where the OSCE has expertise with the aim of developing effective measures and common approaches to address this challenge.
In the economic and environmental sphere, States took a wide-ranging decision on strengthening good governance, transparency and improving the business climate; promoting connectivity through transport and trade facilitation; adherence to labour, social and environmental standards; and strengthening public-private partnerships in the fight against corruption, money laundering and financing of terrorism.
From 8 to 9 December 2016, OSCE Foreign Ministers will convene in Hamburg, Germany, for the annual Ministerial Council, to consider issues relevant to the organization and take the appropriate decisions.
OSCE Ministerial Council
The Ministerial Council was established by the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990) under the original name of "Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs". The 1992 Helsinki Document reaffirmed its role as the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE and gave it more extensive powers in the field of conflict prevention and crisis management. The 1994 Budapest Document renamed it "Ministerial Council" and fully confirmed its pivotal political role.
Bringing together foreign ministers and delegations from the 57 OSCE participating States, the two-day Council occurs near the end of every year and in the final stages of each chairmanship. It acts as the main central decision-making and governing body in the period between OSCE summits and provides a rare opportunity for participating States and 11 Partners for Co-operation to engage in high-level multilateral and bilateral talks on their current security relations and concerns.
This page will be updated as more information becomes available. Follow the discussion online on Twitter @GER_OSCE and @OSCE or using #OSCEMC16 hashtag.
After long day of preparations the #OSCEMC16 media centre ready for media from many countries. Lonely writer will miss the quitness tmrw. pic.twitter.com/xAnpB7HV70
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Hamburg before the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council, 7 December 2016.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg. No other city in Germany represents open-mindedness, tolerance and international connectivity quite like Hamburg. The German OSCE Chairmanship also embodies all of these values: we have worked towards building bridges, strengthening dialogue and engaging civil society further in the OSCE’s discussion and decision making processes. The key priorities of the German OSCE Chairmanship in 2016 have emphasized essential objectives in the face of current crises: “Renewing dialogue, rebuilding trust, restoring security”.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier2016 OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, German Foreign Minister
Secretary General Lamberto Zannier (c) with the team from Ljubljana University, Slovenia, one of the three finalists of the #UnitedCVE Peer-2-Peer OSCE Regional Competition on challenging violent extremism in Hamburg, 7 December 2016.
OSCE #UnitedCVE and Peer-2-Peer final: students challenging violent extremism
The Peer-2-Peer (P2P) initiative challenges teams of students from around the world to develop a digital or social initiative, product, or tool to educate and empower their peers to challenge violent extremism. At a side event the three finalist universities from the OSCE region compete for the best creative social and digital media campaign to counter violent extremism, pitching their creative concepts live in front of a jury, delegates and the media. The event is part of the OSCE United in Countering Violent Extremism campaign. Learn more about the event.
Watch the recording of our live stream from the opening: part one and part two.
08:00 - We will posting live updates on this page throughout the day with the latest from the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Counci in Hamburg. Follow the discussion on Twitter @GER_OSCE and @OSCE. Watch live at www.osce.org/live.
The panel at the "European Security – Challenges at the Societal Level" side event organized by OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions, on the margins of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council, Hamburg, 8 December 2016.
Network
The OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions presented two reports at side events of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council:
Winners of the regional “Peer-2-Peer: Challenging Extremism” OSCE competition after the award ceremony on the margins of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council: teams from University of Ljubljana (1st place), Simon Fraser University (2d place), Lund University (3d place), Hamburg, 8 December 2016.
10:00 - Journalists from Russia and Ukraine present the results of the joint project Two Countries – One Profession: A Dialogue between Journalists from Russia and Ukraine.
Foreign Minister for one minute: Fast forward from the red carpet to the plenary hall at the #OSCE Ministerial Council. Enjoy! #OSCEMC16pic.twitter.com/MPIwBtcEAZ
