News and press releases

A high-level conference on raising awareness on gender inequalities and corruption took place on 10 December 2021, in hybrid format in Tirana. Organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania, the event marked the end of Integrity Week in Albania, which raised awareness of the opportunities that gender-specific approaches to fighting corruption offer to boost socio-economic growth, security, and to consolidate democracy.

STOCKHOLM/VIENNA, 12 December 2021 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid made the following statement regarding the decision taken on Friday in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) by the Republika Srpska National Assembly (RSNA) to take further steps in the direction of unilateral withdrawal from transfer agreements from the entities to the State.

WASHINGTON/ANKARA/VIENNA,10 DECEMBER 2021- As we mark International Human Rights Day, much of the world is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic. A new variant and increased cases have led many OSCE participating States to reimpose restrictions reminiscent of the conditions under which we commemorated this important anniversary a year ago. The pandemic has exacerbated our task of preserving and defending human rights around the world. It has further widened the political and partisan divides and fueled conspiracy theories that target minorities and persons in vulnerable situations. Some nations, while citing the necessity of measures to control the spread of the virus, have used it as a pretext for disproportionate security responses and repressive measures that undermine human rights, including the freedom of religion or belief.

KYIV, 9 December 2021 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen, made the following statement to the press after the extraordinary meeting of the TCG held through video conferencing:

KYIV, 8 December 2021 – The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Mikko Kinnunen, made the following statement to the press after the regular meetings of the TCG and its Working Groups held through video conferencing:

GENEVA, 8 December 2021- The 55th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place in the Palais des Nations on 7 and 8 December 2021, with requisite COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures in place. As mandated by the six-point agreement of 2008, the GID process continues to serve as the primary venue in which the consequences of conflict are addressed and other important issues are discussed.

Increasing transparency in the use and management of public funds, with a special focus on public procurement, was the focus of an online seminar held on 8 December by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.