News and press releases

On 14 – 19 August 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) organized a six-day training on the practical use of the electronic inventory management software for small arms and light weapons (SALW) and conventional ammunition (CA). Twelve national participants (all men) from Tajikistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) took part in the training held in Dushanbe.

VIENNA/SARAJEVO, 16 August 2023- OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, and Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Brian Aggeler are alarmed by the recent repeated, open and direct threats as well as accusations made by Republika Srpska (RS) President Milorad Dodik towards N1, Capital, BN, and Buka media outlets.

SARAJEVO, 16 August 2023- On this day of mourning, the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina expresses its deep condolences to the families of the victims of those killed and wounded in the horrific killings in Gradačac, as well as to the local community suffering from this tragedy.

From 14 to 27 August 2023, Tajikistan National Mine Action Center with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (the Office) is organizing two-week summer rehabilitation camps for victims of landmine and explosive remnants of war in Guliston, Sughd region.

ASTANA, 11 August 2023 — The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani concluded his visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The trip focused on strengthening regional co-operation and the OSCE’s engagement in addressing the broad range of security challenges the region is facing.

The OSCE trained Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) instructors to support Ukraine’s capacity in the detection and disposal of explosives through a three-week training course. The training of EOD instructors from the National Police of Ukraine (NPU) was held at the training site near Bristol, the United Kingdom, from 24 July to 11 August.

On August 11, 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) facilitated a visit of a U.S. Congressional Delegation to the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre of the Ministry of Defence of Tajikistan.

SKOPJE/VIENNA, 10 August 2023- The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, held two separate telephone conversations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan.

The breach of the dam at Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant on 6 June 2023, the resulting overflow of Kakhovka reservoir and the flooding of downstream territories have had a widespread and devastating impact, including potentially long-lasting environmental damage, according to research conducted by the Centre for Environmental Monitoring and supported by the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine.

On 8-10 August 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) organized a three-day training in Romit for 16 members of the Association of Women’s Councils in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan.

On 8 August 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) handed over eight sets of computer equipment and uninterruptible power supplies to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Tajikistan.

From August 2-6, 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) organized a three-day national forum “Stakeholders engagement for uranium legacy sites remediation in Tajikistan” in Guliston, Sughd region. The event brought together representatives from local and international partners, public organizations, the media, and technical working groups on radiation safety from the target areas of the region.

On 5 August 2023, twenty rescuers from Tajikistan’s Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defence completed a training course organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Tajikistan (Office) on “Mountaineering- rescue operations in mountain conditions” in Varzob district.

From 24 July to 4 August 2023, the Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office), in close co-operation with the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Institute for the Study of Law, Order, Crime and Professional Development of Prosecutors, organized three three-day capacity-building workshops on” Pre-investigation aspects of cases related to terrorism, violent extremism and terrorism financing”. The workshops were attended by 72 local prosecutors and investigators (1 female, 71 male) of Dushanbe, Districts under Central Government Jurisdiction, and the Khatlon and Sughd regions.

OSCE-supported Youth Camp for young social workers and psychologists provided an opportunity for 26 participants to dive into four days of interactive training, coaching and discussions under the guidance of the experts in the field of combating gender-based violence.

Artfest, a three-day arts and human rights festival for young people, organized by the NGO Social Space for Deconstruction (SSD) and supported by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, concluded on 30 July 2023 in Mitrovicë/Mitrovica South. The festival, supported by the OSCE Mission for the third year in a

WARSAW, 2 August 2023 – Remembering the persecution and murder of the Roma by the Nazi regime is also a reminder of the ongoing need to combat the discrimination that Roma and Sinti communities face today, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on today’s Roma Genocide Remembrance Day.

As the war displaced millions of Ukrainians or pushed them to the verge by destroying homes and businesses, the World Day against Trafficking in Persons, marked on 30 July each year, provided yet another occasion for the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) to join efforts of state agencies, civil society and international organizations in campaigning to warn people about growing risks to fall victim of human trafficking.

SKOPJE/VIENNA/WARSAW, 28 July 2023 – Ahead of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on 30 July, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid, and Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Matteo Mecacci called for renewed efforts across the OSCE region to combat human trafficking and prevent exploitation.

From 24 to 28 of July 2023, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (Office) conducted a five-day exchange visit to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan for Tajik border agencies on good practices in cross-border co-operation.

The April 2023 early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria were competitive and well managed by the election administration, and fundamental freedoms were respected. The legal framework was adequate for the conduct of democratic elections, however, frequent changes eroded trust, undercut efficiency and complicated timely preparations.

The OSCE Programme Office (Office) in Dushanbe conducted a three-day workshop on project proposal writing with regard to water governance and management from 19 to 21 July in Dushanbe.

On 17 to 21 July, OSCE organized a 5-day workshop aimed at bolstering the National Bank of Georgia's regulatory framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs). The workshop, held in Tbilisi and hosted by the National Bank of Georgia and the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Georgia, focused on enhancing the regulatory compliance of VASPs operating within the country.

From 19 to 21 July, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD), in close co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek (POiB) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, conducted an OSCE Training-of-Trainers course on implementing intelligence-led policing in Kyrgyzstan.

From 19 to 22 July, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, conducted the OSCE Training-of-Trainers course on “Implementing intelligence-led policing in Kyrgyzstan”

Sarajevo, 21 July 2023 – The OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan, in co-operation with the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, facilitated a study visit for the Tajik delegation on domestic violence prevention and response from 15- 21 July. The study visit aimed at enhancing Tajikistan's legislative framework and best practices in tackling domestic violence by drawing insights from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

On 17 to 21 July 2023, the OSCE Secretariat, in co-operation with the Programme Office in Dushanbe, held the Central Asia Youth Dialogue Forum on the rule of law, integrity and crime prevention in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The Forum gathered around 25 young people from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia to build confidence and trust among youth in the region.

The holistic nature of security sector governance and reform (SSG/R), the transformations experienced by different countries, and the efforts still required to further improve security sector governance in Central Asia were discussed at an OSCE workshop, held from 16 to 21 July in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan

SARAJEVO, 20 July 2023- The United Nations, the OSCE Mission, the Council of Europe and the EU Office in Bosnia and Herzegovina are dismayed that the Republika Srpska National Assembly today re-criminalized defamation.

From 18 to 21 July 2023, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), in close collaboration with the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – Regional Office for Central Asia (UN OHCHR ROCA) held a specialized training course titled “Professional Development of State Agencies for the Preparation of the Sixth Periodic Report Of Uzbekistan on the Implementation of the [United Nations] Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” in the Tashkent region.

The OSCE Mission to Skopje, together with the UNHCR Representation in North Macedonia, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, and the Committee for Political System and Inter-community Relations kicked-off a regional workshop aimed at supporting the country in its efforts to end statelessness.

VIENNA, 18 July 2023 – Participants at the ongoing OSCE Asian Partners for Co-operation Group Conference have discussed synergies and opportunities for co-operation with a particular focus on enhancing dialogue between the OSCE and Asia on efforts to reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of information and communication technologies, promoting effective co-operation in addressing the challenges caused by climate change, and the role of civil society in the promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

On 11-13 July 2023, the OSCE Secretariat’s Transnational Threats Department (TNTD) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with the support of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, conducted a training-of-trainers course to further the skills of local financial investigators, judiciary and prosecution officials to apply analytical techniques in financial investigations as part of wider counter-terrorism efforts.

The OSCE, in partnership with the Guardia Civil of Spain, trained canine team instructors in detection of weapons, ammunition and explosives (WAE) through a four-month course to support Ukraine’s capacities in countering illicit trafficking of SALW.

WARSAW, 17 July 2023 – Allegations of arbitrary imprisonment and enforced disappearances of civilians living in areas under occupation are occurring with alarming frequency, with widespread reports of the use of torture and ill-treatment, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today in a new report summarising its ongoing monitoring of violations of international law following Russia’s military attack in Ukraine. According to the many credible testimonies, torture and ill-treatment have been widespread in detention in all Russian-occupied areas.

Staff from constituency offices from all over Albania and senior parliamentary administrative officials came together in Shkodra on 14 and 15 July 2023. The co-ordination and training event – organized by the Albanian Assembly with the OSCE Presence’ support – aimed at enhancing the capabilities of

From 12 to 14 July, staff members from the Statistics Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan benefited from a three-day study visit to Washington D.C., United States, which included a specialized training on data openness and quality, metadata and data dissemination, as well as meetings with relevant stakeholders such as the World Bank, the Global Data Barometer and the Center for Open Data Enterprise. The training was organized by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz) and delivered by Open Data Watch (ODW), an international non-profit organization working at the intersection of open data and official statistics.

The OSCE scholarship programme for young entrepreneurs and start-uppers from the Western Balkans kicked off today in Porto, Portugal, at the European Innovation Academy (EIA)- one of the world’s leading summer entrepreneurship programmes for young professionals, students, recent graduates and young start-uppers.

Kazakhstan’s 20 November 2022 early presidential and 19 March 2023 early parliamentary elections took place in the context of reforms aimed at bringing the country’s elections closer in line with international standards and OSCE commitments, but further changes to the legal framework are needed for

The joint session, organized under the Bulgarian FSC Chair and 2023 OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia, provided a platform to explore the role the FSC can play in the environment-security nexus and how the OSCE can best address issues such as protection of the environment during armed conflicts. The discussion was designed to raise awareness and foster further co-operation on the subject.

OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid recognized the outstanding achievements of OSCE staff in advancing gender equality and empowering women in the OSCE at the fourth award ceremony that took place at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today.

The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM), in collaboration with the 2023 North Macedonia Chairpersonship, organized a high-level conference on 7 July 2023 in Vienna. The participants reflected on the achievements, challenges and lessons learned in promoting long-term social cohesion

GENEVA, 12 July 2023- The 58th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID), as mandated by the Six-Point Agreement of 12 August 2008 and Implementing Measures of 8 September 2008, took place on 11-12 July 2023. As usual, this round was held in two working groups meeting in parallel on security and humanitarian issues.

An exchange of best practices on the functioning of Local Public Safety Councils (LPSCs) between the municipality of Elbasan and those of Lushnja, Cërrik and Gramsh took place in Elbasan, on 12 July 2023. The OSCE Presence in Albania organized the event in partnership with Elbasan Municipality with

From 12-14 July, a three-day working seminar on Integrative psychological assistance in optimizing the level of subjective vitality and related areas in Bishkek was conducted for Ministry of Interior of the Kyrgyz Republic psychological department staff.

VIENNA, 11 June 2023 – The Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, concluded her visit to Turkmenistan yesterday.

A comprehensive online Training of Trainers (ToT) course on biosafety and biosecurity was held by the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre on 27-30 June and 11 July.

On 10 July, in Tashkent, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), together with the Public Fund to Support and Develop National Media in Uzbekistan and the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), held a roundtable discussion on the Freedom of Media in Digital Age.

WASHINGTON/ TASHKENT, 11 July 2023 — The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Atlantic Council, the US State Department and Inha University in Tashkent partnered to bring a multi-disciplinary cyber competition to Uzbekistan.

A three-week Regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal Course (EOD level 1) started on 10 July at the Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre (REHTC) of Tajikistan’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Chimteppa, outskirts of Dushanbe.