News and press releases

BAKU, 30 July 2024 – Observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will hold a press conference on the opening of the observation mission to the forthcoming early parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan on Thursday, 1 August.

On 29-31 July 2024, the OSCE Project Co-Ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), in co-operation with the National Human Rights Centre (NHRC) of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Main Directorate for the Execution of Punishments, launched a three-day training on the UN Bangkok Rules and gender-sensitive approaches to torture prevention.

Novopavlovka village, Chui province, Kyrgyzstan – 24 July, 2024 A ceremony marking the launch of removal operation of the final 55 tonnes of Samin, a toxic rocket fuel component, from the Novopavlovka area in Chui province of Kyrgyzstan took place today. This operation mitigates a significant environmental threat and ensures the safety of some 21,000 residents living near the storage site. The chemical waste will be transported out of Kyrgyzstan by air to Germany at the end of August 2024, where it will be incinerated in a specialized disposal facility.

On 11 July, the Chair of the Permanent Council, Ambassador Natasha Meli Daudey, presented the White Ribbon Award to seven diplomats and delegation members, honouring their outstanding engagement for the promotion of gender equality. The White Ribbon Award is presented every year to OSCE delegates from participating States and Partners for Co-operation who have shown true dedication to the promotion of gender equality and have used their position to advance these efforts. The Award is given based on nominations received from OSCE delegations.

The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in partnership with the Tajikistan Border Troops, conducted eight awareness-raising meetings from 15 to 20 July 2024 in the Rushon and Shughnon districts of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).

Osh, 15-19 July 2024 – The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek conducted a week-long Training-of-Trainers (ToT) course on Ammunition Bunker Site (ABS) management. This initiative aimed to enhance the skills and knowledge of trainer candidates in managing Ammunition Bunker Sites according to international guidelines and best practices. The training focused on compliance with the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG) and national regulations, providing both theoretical and practical lessons on setting up and running ABS, with an emphasis on safety measures to prevent unforeseen events at storage sites.

On 15 and 16 July 2024, 15 young women graduates of the OSCE Scholarship for Peace and Security training programme gather in Vienna for a capacity-building workshop on overcoming the barriers faced by young women working in conflict prevention and resolution. Jointly organized by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre, the Forum for Security Co-operation Support Unit and the OSCE Gender Issues Programme’s WIN Project, the two-day event featured a negotiation skills workshop on conflict prevention and resolution.