News and press releases

ERGNETI, 1 November 2023 – The 115th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) took place in Ergneti today under the co-facilitation of the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Dimitrios Karabalis, and the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Viorel Moşanu.

On October 31, 2023, the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic, in partnership with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, marked a significant milestone- the inauguration of two modernized training classrooms in Osh. These newly renovated facilities are not only a testament to the importance of proper ammunition storage and maintenance but also a tangible step toward bolstering the safety and security in Kyrgyzstan.

SKOPJE, 31 October – The 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia hosted the OSCE Chairpersonship Regional Conference on Combating Corruption, Money Laundering, and Facilitating Asset Recovery Efforts in South-Eastern Europe today. The conference was organized in cooperation and with the support of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.

On 31 October 2023, the fifth Partnership Platform meeting took place, bringing together the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD) and representatives of Tajikistan’s Government.

While international justice tools to deal with war-related crimes are high on the agenda, national institutions can and should pursue investigation and prosecution of those who commit them, as synergy of domestic and international efforts is an important precondition for justice to effectively respond to violations of human rights in the course of ongoing war. The needs of adapting national practices and legislation in criminal justice were in focus of IX Lviv Criminal Justice Forum, organized by the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) together with State Bureau of Investigations and Lviv University of Internal Affairs on 26-27 October 2023.

On 26 October, the OSCE Mission’s Donors’ Forum united over 80 civil society organizations (CSOs) from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River to assess CSO developments, challenges and success over the past 10 years. They discussed the health sector, sustainable partnerships for economic

The strategic outlook for energy markets, system vulnerabilities, and industry competition took centre stage at this year’s edition of the Vienna Energy Security Dialogue. Titled “Looking Ahead: Shaping the Post-Crises Global Energy Market(s)”, the annual event took place on 25 October in partnership with the World Energy Council Austria, the Federation of Austrian Industries, and Ernst and Young Austria.

Batken, 30 October 2023 – The city of Batken played host to a Forum on "Women's Participation: A Pillar for Peace and Stability", which holds particular significance as an integral component of Kyrgyzstan's National Action Plan for the realization of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 within the 2022-2024 timeframe. Aligned with strategic imperatives in the realm of "Governance, Rule of Law, and Peacebuilding," this Forum emerged as a platform for in-depth examination, identification of shared challenges, and prioritization of endeavors dedicated to advancing the global "Women, Peace, Security" agenda.

On October 29, 2023, a premiere of the ballet performance “ADAM” (Human) took place in the city of Naryn, Kyrgyzstan. Reflecting upon the crucial problems of ecology and climate change, this performance was initiated by the Students of Kyrgyzstan for Green Economy NGO, the initiative group ARTIS, and the Kyrgyz Opera and Ballet Theater named after A. Maldybaev, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.

On 26 and 27 October 2023, the OSCE Presence in Albania in close co-operation with the Albanian School of Magistrates, organized a training on “Investigation and adjudication of criminal offences related to public procurement”. The training was designed in line with the areas of interest expressed

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 24-25 October – State Personal Data Protection Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, joined forces with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek to conduct a two-day training programme aimed at bolstering cybersecurity, personal data protection, and raising awareness about cybersecurity within the healthcare and education sectors.

A five-day youth camp on restoration and documentation of cultural heritage in the Pejë/Peć Old Bazaar, organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo for 10 students of architecture, anthropology and related fields, concluded on 27 October 2023.

On 27 October 2023, nineteen mine action specialists and practitioners (18 men, 1 woman) from the military, law enforcement, security services, and humanitarian agencies of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Serbia completed a three-week regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal course (EOD Level 2) at the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence in Chimteppa.

On 25-27 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) supported the Republican Training and Methodological Centre (RTMC) of the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence (CoESCD) in the organization of a training in Khujand city.

From 25 to 27 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (the Office), in co-operation with the Institute for Advanced Training under the General Prosecutor’s Office, organized a three-day training on domestic violence prosecution in Sarob, near Dushanbe.

From 25 to 27 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (the Office) organized a three-day training of trainers on combating trafficking in human beings.

Issyk-Kul, 23-26 October- The Migration Council under the Speaker of the Kyrgyz Republic, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, organized a four-day Youth Forum on Combating Human Trafficking in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan. The event gathered 30 young leaders from across the country selected through a competitive essay contest on the topic "How I Understand Human Trafficking?".

From 24 to 26 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) in co-operation with the Office of the Human Rights Commissioner in the Republic of Tajikistan organized a three-day training course for governmental human rights focal points in Bokhtar, Khatlon region.

On 26 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) supported the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the organization of the first high-level Republican Conference on combating trafficking in human beings.

VIENNA, 25 October – The Canadian Chairpersonship of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) held a Security Dialogue dedicated to UN Security Council Resolution 1325+ and the Women, Peace and Security agenda today. The discussion focused on the improved outcomes in peace, security and operational effectiveness that are achieved through women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in the armed forces.

Excessive use of detention on remand is a global issue that poses rule of law and human rights concerns, and Kosovo faces similar challenges.

The OSCE facilitated a multi-agency workshop on cross-border recovery and repatriation of criminal assets in Chisinau, Moldova this week. The workshop – held from 24 to 26 October 2023 – gathered representatives from the Moldovan Criminal Asset Recovery Agency, the Prosecutor’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, the General Police Inspectorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the Chisinau City Prosecutor’s Office.

Between 22 and 24 October 2023, the OSCE Mission organized a study trip to the city of Graz, Austria for five mayors from Kosovo, selected for their efforts in promoting gender responsive governance in their municipalities. Gazmend Muhaxheri of Pejë/Peć, Bali Muharremaj of Suharekë/Suva Reka, Ramiz

SKOPJE, 24 October 2023 – Strengthening cyber-resilience and raising cybersecurity awareness were the focus of the cyber/ICT security conference hosted by the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia in Skopje from 23 to 24 October.

On 24 October, the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan organized a webinar on the Dark Web criminal landscape for the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.

The OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan(PCUz), in partnership with the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, organised a five-day training titled "Digital Forensics: Challenges and Opportunities" for the period from 23 to 27 October, 2023. The training course was aimed at enhancing the capacity of law enforcement agencies to detect and investigate cybercrimes by further promoting international co-operation, co-ordination and information sharing among respective structures. 

THE HAGUE, 24 October 2023 – The institution of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) marked its 30th anniversary today with a high-level conference at the Peace Palace in The Hague. At the event, High Commissioner Kairat Abdrakhmanov also presented new recommendations on the effective participation of national minorities in social and economic life.

On 24 October 2023, Tajikistan’s Border Troops were provided with ambulance vehicles and technical equipment as part of an OSCE project funded by the European Union (EU).

On 20 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) supported the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense in the organization of the Asian Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) 2023.

On 23 October, in Tashkent, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) – together with the National Human Rights Centre, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and its Regional Office for Central Asia, the United Nations Development Programme in Uzbekistan and the Office in Uzbekistan of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation – organized an International Forum titled: "Youth Rights: Possibilities and Mechanisms of Protection". The Forum commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 30th anniversary of the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights.

From 16 to 20 October 2023, the OSCE delivered a national training course on gender-responsive policing of violence against women and girls in Popova Šapka. The course – organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), the OSCE Mission to Skopje, and the Police Training Centre of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in North Macedonia – was delivered by the six national police officers and prosecutors who had previously benefited from the TNTD’s train-the-trainers course in Warsaw. Twenty-two police officers and prosecutors from various municipalities in North Macedonia- twelve women and ten men – learned to respond to cases of violence against women and girls while maintaining a victim-centred approach.

VIENNA, 23 October 2023 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, concluded a two-day official visit to London. During her visit, she engaged in a series of productive meetings with various stakeholders, including Sir John Whittingdale, Minister of State for the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, Lord Christopher Bellamy KC, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Justice, Christian Rogg, Director for Development and Open Societies, and members of Parliament, including Vice Chairs of All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Media Freedom issues. The primary focus of these discussions was to address both current and emerging challenges to media freedom across the OSCE region, including discussions on the situation in the United Kingdom.

The second penitentiary reform forum of Tajikistan, supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, was held on 23 October 2023 in Dushanbe and focused on the development of the prison system in Tajikistan.

The meeting of the OSCE Central Asia and South-Eastern Europe regional networks for women professionals in preventing and countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism (P/CVERLT) concluded today in Vienna. The event was organized by the OSCE Secretariat’s Gender Issues Programme/WIN Project, in collaboration with the OSCE Secretariat's Transnational Threats Department/Action against Terrorism Unit.

On September 18-22, 2023, the Training Center of the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic, with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, successfully conducted the autumn camp to prepare the national team of the Kyrgyz Republic for the final of the International Olympiad on Financial Security, which will take place on October 2-6, 2023, in Sochi.

From 16 to 20 October, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe provided an introductory training course on cryptocurrencies and darknet investigations at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Representatives of Turkmenistan’s national media and institutions involved in the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan for 2021-2025 (NHRAP) participated in an OSCE-organized training course on media literacy that took place on 19 and 20 October 2023 in Ashgabat. International

Twenty-seven supervisory and law enforcement representatives from Georgia strengthened their skills in identifying and investigating the financial crimes conducted with cryptocurrencies and other virtual assets in a training course held from 17 to 20 October 2023 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The course was

Bishkek, 18-20 October- The Service on Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, in collaboration with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, hosted an Annual K9 competition commemorating National Police Day. The competition will feature K9 units from four government entities, including the State Service for Execution of Punishments under the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Service on Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, the State Customs Service under the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Border Service of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Fifteen public officials from five ministries and one parliamentary committee successfully completed a four-day training course ending on 19 October, organized by the OSCE Mission to Montenegro and the Secretariat for Competitiveness Council. These officials, are now qualified to train their counterparts on implementing gender-responsive budgeting in state institutions.

The Central Election Commission of Albania in co-operation with the OSCE Presence organized a national high-level conference titled “Voting from abroad- the way forward”, on 19 October 2023. The conference facilitated discussions among relevant stakeholders on how the Assembly can address the legal

Election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) presented the final report on Hungary’s 2022 parliamentary elections and referendum in Budapest on 17 and 18 October 2023. The experts discussed the report’s key findings and recommendations with government

From 17 to 19 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (the Office) organized a three-day training of trainers on domestic violence issues. The training brought together 17 young people (six men and 11 women) from Dushanbe and the regions of Tajikistan.

The role of Aarhus Centres in promoting public participation in environmental decision-making, transition towards green economy, and management of hazardous and toxic wastes took centre stage at the 2023 Aarhus Centres Annual Meeting, held in Dushanbe and online on 17 and 18 October.

VIENNA, 18 October 2023 — A new report mapping the online landscape of risks of trafficking in human beings on sexual services websites across the OSCE was launched by the Office of the Special Representative and Co-Ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings to mark EU Anti-Trafficking Day.

A series of four three-day simulation exercises organized jointly by the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine and IOM Mission in Ukraine in September and October helped officials, experts, and practitioners from 12 regions of Ukraine to enhance their practical skills in investigating cases of trafficking in human beings and assisting survivors of the crime.

On 17 October 2023, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) with the OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the OSCE Mission to Skopje and the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), under the auspices of the 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia, organized a one-day Conference on Statelessness. The Conference was intended as an exchange forum for over eighty participants representing national authorities, civil society and international organizations, to facilitate practical and informative discussions aimed at sharing good practices to prevent and address statelessness in the South-Eastern Europe region.

On 17 October 2023, the OSCE Presence in Albania presented a project on electoral reform and processes, aiming to contribute to an all-inclusive and participatory electoral process in Albania in line with OSCE commitments and OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.   The OSCE project “Support to electoral

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) supported the organization of two panel discussions on the processing of cases related to trafficking in human beings and hate crimes.

On 18 October 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) organized a roundtable event to present and discuss the findings and recommendations of four monitoring reports prepared by civil society national experts (two women, and two men).