News and press releases

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.

TASHKENT, 10 July 2023 – Uzbekistan’s early presidential election was technically well prepared but lacked genuine competition. Positively, recent reforms to the legal framework have taken some previous ODIHR recommendations into account, but fundamental freedoms remain restricted, the low-key campaign lacked meaningful engagement with voters, and significant procedural irregularities were observed on election day, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement today.

VIENNA, 10 July 2023- The 24th Central Asia Media Conference, titled "At a Crossroads: Safeguarding Media Freedom to Protect Democracy," concluded successfully in Bishkek last Friday. The conference shed light on the intrinsic connection between media freedom and democracy, addressing a wide range of media-related issues. Organized by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, the event brought together more than 120 participants from Central Asia, Mongolia and beyond.

VIENNA, 7 July 2023 — Strengthening co-operation across borders to tackle climate-related challenges and security risks took centre stage at the OSCE High-Level Conference on Climate Change, which took place at the Hofburg in Vienna on 7 July.

An OSCE-supported series of national trainings for trainers on travel document security concluded in Turkmenbashy on 7 July 2023. The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat organized the series of three-day events in close co-operation with the EU Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA) in

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani met today, 7 July, with the newly elected President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Pia Kauma, Member of Parliament for Finland, on the margins of the OSCE High-Level Conference on Climate Change in Vienna.

Over 25 experts from the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan attended a workshop from 4 to 6 July 2023 dedicated to enhancing the protection of vulnerable targets — critical infrastructure and soft targets, such as public places — from terrorist attacks.

Modern law enforcers need to be especially vigilant and know how to safely use IT technologies in order not to compromise people’s personal data, disrupt investigation or make their institutions vulnerable to attacks of criminals. Piloting of a new course on cyberhygiene developed by the OSCE Secretariat Extra-Budgetary Support Programme for Ukraine’s future law enforcers and emergency response personnel started with the first three-days session organized in Kamianets-Podilsky, Khmelnytska Oblast on 6-9 July 2023.

From 5 to 7 July, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan in collaboration with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Association of Disabled People of Uzbekistan organized a training course on enhancing negotiation skills. This marks the first phase of a series of capacity-building training courses for representatives of disability-focused NGOs who aspire to participate in Uzbekistan’s 2024 parliamentary elections.

A training course was conducted on 3-6 July 2023, aimed at increasing awareness and capacity of the state bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic in the implementation of the state policy in countering violent extremism and terrorism. This event was held as part of the 10th Experts Meeting on countering terrorism with the participation of representatives of state bodies and national experts.

STRASBOURG, 5 July 2023 — The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, concluded his visit to the Council of Europe today.

Line of conduct practical exercises were conducted on 28-29 June. The event served as a platform for the participants to discuss border security with the focus on transnational threats and how transnational threats can be addressed effectively.

VIENNA, 4 July 2023 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, strongly condemns today’s violent attack targeting prominent Russian journalist of Novaya Gazeta Elena Milashina and lawyer Alexander Nemov in Chechnya.

Women in Montenegro own 36% and 31% of the total number of residential and commercial/business units respectively. However, only 25% of the total square footage of all registered real estate belong to women. The same percentage of women (25%) are the sole owners of real estate, while as much as 59% of men have 1/1 ownership. Women most often acquire real estate by purchase- 40%, while 36% of them acquired real estate by inheritance. These are some of the key findings from a research Gender and property ownership in Montenegro- mapping the property gap, presented on 4 July in Podgorica.

On 4 July, the OSCE, in partnership with Berlin-based think tank adelphi, published a Scoping Study that analyses the current context of wildfire risk reduction, landscape fire management and transboundary co-operation in Northern Armenia and Southern Georgia with a focus on two pilot municipalities: Sarchapet in Armenia and Bolnisi in Georgia.

On June 30, the regional forum "Digitalization of Criminal Justice" was held, which was attended by representatives of the Prosecutor General's Offices of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, including a number of heads of departments of the Presidential Administration of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Supreme Court, ministries and departments.

ERGNETI, 3 July 2023 — The 113th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) was held today in Ergneti, 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.

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, 30 June 2023 — The first Central Asia regional simulation-based training for anti-trafficking practitioners in OSCE history concluded today in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Sarajevo, 30 June 2023 –  Today, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations (UN) in Bosnia and Herzegovina marked 30 years of partnership in the country. Through our collaboration, the UN and the OSCE have supported Bosnia and Herzegovina’s progress from

VIENNA, 29 June 2023- Against a backdrop of a profound security crisis, a renewed commitment to restoring peace and security in the OSCE region and fostering meaningful multi-lateral exchange was the goal of the 2023 Security Review Conference. The 2023 Chairpersonship of North Macedonia held the event on 28 and 29 June under the title ‘Restoring peace and security, engaging in dialogue and rebuilding trust – For the people’.

On 26 June, Albanian public institutions and civil society organizations signed a new Co-operation Agreement for the National Referral Mechanism for Potential and Victims of Trafficking (NRM), developed thanks to the OSCE Presence’s technical assistance in the 2022–2023 years. The new agreement

Ukrainian and international legal professionals, civic activists, experts and youth join a series of events under the Constitution Week initiative to discuss how to better use constitutional justice for defending human rights in times of war.

On 27 and 28 June 2023, the OSCE, in co-operation with the German youth crime prevention initiative Kurve Kriegen, organized a study visit to Düsseldorf, Germany, on preventing juvenile delinquency for representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan.

Challenges and opportunities for joint actions was the focus of an event that gathered 25 women peacebuilders and mediators from Eastern Europe, South Caucasus, and Central Asia in Istanbul, Türkiye, on 27 June 2023. The panel discussion was co-organized by the OSCE Gender Issues Programme, UN Women and GNWP.

In collaboration with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, the OSCE Secretariat Gender Issues Programme organized a two-day regional meeting in Tashkent on 20-21 June 2023. The meeting enhanced networking and capacity building among Women's Resource Centres and civil society organizations in Central Asia, with a focus on combating gender-based violence.

On 26-27 June, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a two-day training programme for seventeen members of the Albanian State Police (ASP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and General Prosecution Office. The training was held with the support of the Belgian Federal Judicial Police, Italian

On 26 June, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a workshop to unveil the findings of the Baseline Assessment on Inspection, Investigation and Punishment of Environmental Contraventions and Crimes in Albania. The baseline assessment for environmental governance, which is based on the analyses of

VIENNA, 26 JUNE 2023 – Closer co-operation and an innovative approach are needed by governments and civil society to build respect and trust in the diversity of our societies and combat intolerance and hatred, OSCE leaders said as a two-day conference began today.

The OSCE Mission to Montenegro continues in its support of the SOS Helpline Nikšić as it develops microgreens farming as an occupational therapy for the women survivors of gender-based violence. In May and June, the Mission provided microgreens equipment and supplies as well as expertise in developing a Handbook for Microgreens Cultivation. This will be followed by trainings for survivors and NGO staff.

WARSAW, 26 June 2023 – For victims to overcome the profound impact of torture on their lives, ensuring their right to redress and all it entails is crucial, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

GENEVA, 23 June 2023 – The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, and the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Gillian Triggs, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reinforce the long-standing co-operation between their respective institutions under common areas of mandated responsibilities. This includes, in particular, the interface between the protection of displaced and stateless persons and the role of the HCNM as an instrument of conflict prevention at the earliest possible stage in regard to tensions involving national minorities.

Going beyond figures for gender equality in the parliament. The Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Kilian Wahl, and Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi opened the regional conference “Parliaments advance gender equality”, marking the 20th anniversary of the Parliamentary Women’s Club. The

From 19 to 23 June, the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, in conjunction with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, organized a training course on cryptocurrencies and Darknet investigations at the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

NEW YORK, 23 June 2023 – The OSCE renewed its commitment to strengthen co-operation in countering terrorism during the 2023 United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week, which took place between 19 and 23 June.

On 20 to 22 June 2023, the OSCE and regional partners held a capacity-building course in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan for professors of higher education institutions on the OSCE-developed curriculum on "Crime Prevention and Culture of Lawfulness".

On 22 June, the OSCE Secretariat welcomed a group of international students to Vienna for a summer school visit aimed at providing hands-on experience of the Organization's programmatic activities. This visit offered participants an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the OSCE's comprehensive approach to security.

OSCE Senior Adviser on Gender Issues, Lara Scarpitta concluded her visit to Uzbekistan, following three days of intensive discussions and field visits organized with the support of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

SARAJEVO, 22 June 2023 – Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Brian Aggeler, visited Stolac today, engaging in meetings with city officials, religious leaders, and representatives from the NGO sector.

CHISINAU/VIENNA, 21 June 2023- The Special Representative of the North Macedonia OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Mayr-Harting, welcomed yesterday’s meeting in Bender in the “1+1” format between the Moldovan and Transdniestrian Chief

Between 13 and 16 June, art students and teaching staff of “Alexandru Plamadeala” Republican College of Fine Arts from Chisinau and “Victor Postoikin” Higher Education Art College in Bender took part in a four-day plein air, held in Old Orhei. Over the four days of the plein air activity, 20 young

On 20 and 21 June 2023, over 60 participants representing a wide range of government and civil society organizations from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as well as regional and international organizations convened in a workshop in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The event was

SKOPJE, 20 June 2023 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, reiterated his call for the de-escalation of tensions in northern Kosovo and urged all parties to give room to the EU-facilitated Dialogue following the communication with First Deputy Prime Minister responsible for foreign policy and security and Foreign Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kosovo Donika Gërvalla-Schwarz.

Improvements in prevention, law enforcement, prosecution and judicial review of sexual violence cases in times of war were the focus of discussions among more than 150 legal professionals, officials and civil society organisations during the of the 4th Forum of Women Lawyers held on 16 June.

During a working visit to the Republic of Turkmenistan from 12 to 16 June 2023, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov met with representatives of the national and regional authorities. The visit included meetings with high-level officials in Ashgabat and the Dashoguz

WARSAW, 20 June 2023 – By making refugee integration a priority as a long-term and sustainable response to forced migration, we support refugees in their journey to rebuild their lives and foster inclusive societies that strengthen the fabric of our communities, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on the occasion of World Refugee Day.

BANJA LUKA, 19 June 2023- Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Brian Aggeler, concluded his two-day visit to Banja Luka and Prijedor, where he actively participated in the Banja Luka TrotoArt festival and held meetings with political and non-governmental representatives.