News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
OSCE helps local authorities manage environmental challenges in Armenia’s Syunik region
Publishing date: 29 December 2014
Enhancing skills in decision- and policy-making in environmental management was the focus of a four-day training organized for representatives of local municipalities and civil society in Armenia’s remote Syunik region on 24-27 December 2014. The event was held with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan’s Project Implementation Presence in Syunik...
Minsk talks must resume to rapidly advance peace efforts, Swiss Chair says
Publishing date: 26 December 2014
Bern, December 26, 2014 – Swiss Foreign Minister and OSCE-Chairperson-in-Office, Didier Burkhalter, expressed his expectation that the meeting between the Trilateral Contact Group (consisting of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and the OSCE Chairmanship) and representatives of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk, scheduled for today in Minsk, would take place without further delay. He took note that this meeting, which had been planned as a follow-up to the Minsk meeting of December 24, has not come about as yet.
OSCE supports opening of Aarhus Centre in Bishkek in 2015
Publishing date: 23 December 2014
The Kyrgyz State Agency on Environment Protection and Forestry and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek signed on 23 December 2014 a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Aarhus Centre in Bishkek in 2015...
Kyrgyz National Strategy for Sustainable Development is focus of OSCE-supported discussion in Bishkek
Publishing date: 23 December 2014
The Heads of Talas and Issyk-Kul provinces, district administrations and Kyrgyz Ministry of Economy officials gathered in Bishkek on 17 December 2014 for a final discussion on sustainable development program for the regions...
New regulation and recent blockings threaten free speech on Internet in Belarus, says OSCE Representative
Publishing date: 22 December 2014
VIENNA, 22 December – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović said today that amendments tightening government control of the Internet in Belarus pose a major threat to free speech and free media. She also pointed to recent blockings of a number of news portals in the country...
OSCE, Kyrgyz Defence Ministry sign five agreements on management and control of small arms and light weapons in Kyrgyzstan
Publishing date: 22 December 2014
The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Kyrgyz Defence Ministry signed five agreements on practical implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on small arms and light weapons (SALW) and stockpiles of conventional ammunition (SCA) programme that was signed on 2 August 2013 and ratified in May 2014...
OSCE Mission to Skopje trains police officers on new criminal procedure law
Publishing date: 22 December 2014
Some 300 police officers were trained between 14 August and 21 December 2014 in Skopje on effective conduct when asked to appear as witnesses in main court hearings. The training course is part of the OSCE Mission to Skopje’s advanced training programme on raising awareness about the amendments to the criminal procedure law...