News and press releases
News and press releases from the OSCE's global activities.
A message to the OSCE Community: We need solidarity and co-operation, OSCE core values, to work together to stop the pandemic
Publishing date: 26 March 2020
VIENNA/TIRANA, 26 March 2020- Chair of the OSCE Permanent Council Igli Hasani, OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir and OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Lamberto Zannier today sent the following letter to the OSCE Community:
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Rama and Secretary General Greminger call for immediate action about SMM freedom of movement in eastern Ukraine
Publishing date: 23 March 2020
TIRANA/VIENNA, 23 March 2020- OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, and OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger expressed their deep concern that in recent days, the armed formations have prevented the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) from crossing the contact line into non-government-controlled areas of eastern Ukraine. They called for urgent steps to ensure the safety of SMM staff and that the SMM is able to continue to operate, while taking into account the need to control the spread of COVID-19...
First confirmed case of COVID-19 at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna
Publishing date: 20 March 2020
The OSCE today has recorded its first case of COVID-19 involving a staff member at the Secretariat. All necessary protocols have been followed as set out by the Austrian authorities, and the staff member’s condition is already improving.
OSCE SMM Chief Monitor welcomes extension of Mission mandate
Publishing date: 20 March 2020
KYIV, 20 March 2020 – The Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine, Y. Halit Çevik, welcomed today the extension of the SMM’s mandate for another year. “I thank our host country, Ukraine, and the OSCE participating States for taking this consensus decision,” the Chief Monitor said. “It is a mark of the continued support for the Mission’s work in contributing to reducing tensions and fostering peace, stability and security in Ukraine.”
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office welcomes renewal of mandate and approval of budget of OSCE SMM – urges continued support for Mission on the ground
Publishing date: 20 March 2020
TIRANA, 20 March 2020 – The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, welcomed yesterday’s OSCE Permanent Council decision to renew the mandate of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) for another year until 31 March 2021.
Press statement by Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference Andrzej Kasprzyk
Publishing date: 18 March 2020
TBILISI, 18 March 2020- The Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, has issued the following statement:
OSCE’s preventative measures against COVID-19
Publishing date: 17 March 2020
The OSCE, together with other international organizations, continues to undertake preventative measures against the COVID-19 outbreak, in line with guidance from the authorities of host countries...