News and press releases

TIRANA/VIENNA, 4 December 2020 — The appointment of four senior OSCE officials and the adoption of new commitments by States to strengthen the fight against organized crime and corruption as well as preventing torture made this one of the “most productive” Ministerial Councils in many years, said OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania, Edi Rama, at the close of the 27th OSCE Ministerial Council.

COPENHAGEN, 4 December 2020 – Several members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly joined a web conference hosted by the British House of Lords, focused on taking stock of past action and addressing new challenges related to relocating vulnerable refugees. Entitled “Voluntary relocation of child refugees and other vulnerable refugees: achievements and future challenges,” today’s meeting explored topics including the new arrivals of refugees by boat in Mediterranean countries and the United Kingdom, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the challenges posed by coming winter conditions.

COPENHAGEN, 4 December 2020 – Welcoming the OSCE’s new Secretary General, Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, High Commissioner on National Minorities, and Representative on Freedom of the Media, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President and Secretary General today expressed hope that the filling of these positions marks the beginning of an era of renewed commitment to co-operation and dialogue...

The application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to improve efficient land management was discussed at an OSCE-supported online training course held from 2 to 4 December 2020...

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek successfully completed a one-day roundtable discussion focusing on progress in the framework of efforts in implementing a system for passenger data exchange, the Advance Passenger Information- Passenger Name Record (API/PNR) on 3 December 2020. The event was organized in co-operation with the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) of the Kyrgyz Republic.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, jointly with the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan and international partners, organized an international conference on prevention of corruption in the activities of state bodies on 3 December in Tashkent, which was conducted in a blended format.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan co-organized two events on 2 and 3 December 2020 in blended formats in the field of the rights of persons with disabilities. The discussion on the first day focused on the ratification by the Republic of Uzbekistan of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Representatives from both chambers of Parliament and international experts from Estonia, Latvia and Kazakhstan attended the event.