News and press releases

More international co-operation and a transparent and comprehensive approach are required to build on results achieved so far in managing stockpiles of conventional ammunition in a safe and secure way, said speakers at the meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation held under Russia’s Chairmanship on 12 July. The event focused on practices of managing stockpiles and destroying surpluses in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia and Switzerland...

Some 50 experts, including representatives of governments and international organizations, met to discuss effective practices and educational approaches to addressing anti-Semitism at an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and UNESCO on 13 July

The OSCE Gender Section organized two two-day training workshops for representatives of civil society groups in Armenia and Moldova on how to set up mentor networks on 30 June- 1 July2017 in Yerevan and on 10- 11 July 2017 in Chisinau. The mentor networks are a powerful tool for empowering women and removing socio-economic barriers to their full participation in public life...

DUSHANBE, 13 July 2017 – Twenty-two border and customs officers from Afghanistan and Tajikistan graduated from the Afghan Border Police Border Management Awareness Course today at the OSCE Border Management Staff College (BMSC) in Dushanbe...

A team of election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Washington D.C. from 10 to 12 July 2017 to present the final report of the ODIHR election observation mission for the 8 November 2016 United States general elections.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. At a government checkpoint near Novotoshkivske, the Mission observed a bullet hole in a Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicle that may have been caused by gunfire shortly beforehand. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Donetsk and Luhansk cities and observed damage from shelling in Zolote-4. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including Mineralne.* The SMM recorded ceasefire violations in the Zolote disengagement area. It continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control in Donetsk region. In Kyiv the Mission followed up on reports of an incident at a café and monitored four protests...

VIENNA, 12 July 2017 – The OSCE Permanent Council, in a special meeting today in Vienna, formally submitted the names of officials to fill four senior-level positions in the Organization to the foreign ministers of the 57 participating States for their confirmation...