News and press releases

WARSAW/COPENHAGEN, 9 January 2025 – The decision of the Belarusian authorities not to invite OSCE participating States to observe the country’s presidential election on 26 January is deeply regrettable and prevents an impartial and independent assessment of the election process, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) said in a statement today.

The OSCE in partnership with the thinktank adelphi has recently published a strategy paper aiming to foster cross-border co-operation between Georgia and Armenia in tackling climate-related security risks, improving landscape fire management, and reducing wildfire risks. Developed in close

From 21 to 23 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized a three-day training session focused on implementing the SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) system, a crucial technology aimed at enhancing conservation efforts in specially protected natural areas.

From 16 to 17 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe hosted a two-day workshop focused on the findings of the “Baseline Report from the Fifth Round of Monitoring of Anti-Corruption Reforms in Tajikistan. The Istanbul Anti-Corruption Action Plan”.

Between October and December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe supported the OSCE Youth Network for Gender Equality in organizing ten awareness-raising sessions across Dushanbe and rural areas of Tajikistan. Over 25 Network members traveled to Norak, Panjakent, Khujand, Ayni, Isfara, Garm, Kulob, Bokhtar, and Levakand, engaging 283 participants—91 men and 192 women—including youth, educators from schools and universities, and community leaders.

On 17 December 2024, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in co-operation with the Centre for Combatting Trafficking in Persons under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, hosted the second Dialogue Platform on Counteracting Trafficking in Human Beings (CTHB) for the year. The event brought together government officials, members of the Inter-Ministerial Commission on CTHB, representatives from civil society, and international organizations.

From 9 to 12 December, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Police Academy in Banja Luka conducted four one-day basic training courses for police cadets on gender-based violence (GBV) in Banja Luka. The training sessions were delivered by national police officers, a prosecutor, a judge, a psychologist and other local experts.