News and press releases

SKOPJE, 20 June 2023 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, reiterated his call for the de-escalation of tensions in northern Kosovo and urged all parties to give room to the EU-facilitated Dialogue following the communication with First Deputy Prime Minister responsible for foreign policy and security and Foreign Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kosovo Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz.

During a working visit to the Republic of Turkmenistan from 12 to 16 June 2023, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov met with representatives of the national and regional authorities. The visit included meetings with high-level officials in Ashgabat and the Dashoguz

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe organized a study visit to Barcelona, Spain for six representatives of the Union of Women Judges of the Republic of Tajikistan on 13-15 June 2023. The Tajik officials learned from their Spanish counterparts the best practices of improving women and girls' access to justice, increasing gender sensitivity in cases of violence against girls and women, eliminating gender stereotypes in judicial proceedings and protecting child rights.

STRUGA, 14 June 2023 — Promoting security and stability in the OSCE area through sustainable development, and resilient and inclusive economic growth, was the focus of the 2023 Struga Conference on the Economic and Environmental Dimension of the OSCE that took place in Struga, North Macedonia, on 13 and 14 June.

From 12 to 14 June, 26 young professionals from Western Europe had the opportunity to try their hand at diplomatic negotiations as they simulated the Helsinki Process by renegotiating the Helsinki Final Act as part of the 2023 Model OSCE event. The event, which takes place annually, was organized by the OSCE Office of the Secretary General, in close co-operation with the OSCE Chair of North Macedonia, and in partnership with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Regional Office for Cooperation and Peace in Europe.

On 14 June, in co-operation with the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department and OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) held a regional consultation on the United Nations Programme of Action for cybersecurity. The consultations seek to advance responsible behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies in the context of international security.

VIENNA, 12 June 2023- The OSCE Secretary General, Helga Maria Schmid, concluded her visit to Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan on 8 June. She met with high-level government officials, parliamentarians and civil society representatives, and discussed how the OSCE can facilitate regional solutions in addressing the broad range of security challenges that the region is facing and provide further support across all aspects of the OSCE’s work.