News and press releases

Luban, Poland / Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan | 18 March 2025 – Six canine instructors from the Border Service of the State Committee for National Security of the Kyrgyz Republic have completed a specialized training course on detecting explosives, weapons, and ammunition, held from 4 February to 18 March

On 16 April 2025, in the lead-up to Albania’s upcoming parliamentary elections due on 11 May, the OSCE Presence, in close co-operation with the General Prosecution Office, the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) and the EU4Justice project, organized a technical workshop focused on strengthening the investigation and prosecution of electoral crimes.

OSCE High Commissioner Christophe Kamp visited Ukraine between 6 and 12 April, where he met with a wide range of interlocutors, including representatives of the government, local authorities, national minority communities, civil society and the international community in Kyiv and Uzhhorod.   In

To mark this progress, the Mission organized a joint progress meeting on 16 April 2025 in Sarajevo, bringing together over 40 representatives, including heads of law enforcement agencies, and international partners.

As extreme weather events become more frequent and climate conditions continue to evolve, the energy sectors face increasing risks. From heatwaves straining power grids to storms damaging infrastructure and climate variability disrupting natural resources, these challenges add uncertainty to energy diversification and transition efforts.

Three dedicated centres equipped to provide psychological assistance to children affected by war and their caregivers were opened on 15 April — two in Vinnytsia and one in Pohrebyshche. The initiative is implemented by the OSCE Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) in partnership with the National Social Service of Ukraine (NSSU), local authorities such as the Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration and local communities.

Representatives of Albanian authorities discussed ways to work with child-protection specialists and young people to leverage social media in youth crime prevention. The workshop, organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities, in co-operation with the OSCE Presence in Albania, was held in Tirana between 14 and 15 April.  

Cybersecurity experts and policymakers from Central Asia, South Caucasus and Mongolia explored ways to strengthen the role of women in cybersecurity at a workshop in Astana organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department with the support of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana from 9 to 10 April.

Senior officers from Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service (SBGS) strengthened their document fraud detection capability and explored ways to enhance border control operations at airports and maritime ports during a study tour to the Netherlands organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department, in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, from 7 to 10 April.

The OSCE Presence in Albania held an intensive training programme focused on strengthening the analytical capabilities of the Albanian State Police. The programme aimed to enhance the capacity of police analysts to identify, assess and prioritize criminal threats, with a focus on organized crime networks operating in Albania.

14–15 April 2025 OSCE Conference Hall, Tashkent Today marked the opening of the first tailored national training course for representatives of the judiciary in Uzbekistan on "Cybercrime: from Detection to Court Judgment." The training features discussions on international and national

Warsaw, 14 April 2025 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened a limited election observation mission for the 18 May 2025 presidential election in Poland, following an invitation from the national authorities.

ANTALYA, 13 April 2025 – The OSCE’s crucial role in the European security architecture, strengthening multilateralism and supporting efforts towards peace were at the center of Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu’s participation in the 2025 edition of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. The Secretary General highlighted the OSCE’s approach to comprehensive security and its unique ability to foster dialogue and cooperation, underscoring the organization’s position as an indispensable platform for peace and stability in Europe.

On 13 April 2025, a three-day training course on preventing discrimination concluded in Dushanbe, bringing together 21 young people (8 women and 13 men). The training focused on practical skills on conducting awareness-raising events, interacting with relevant agencies, combating discrimination in everyday life, and more. It included interactive sessions, role-playing games, and discussions on current challenges in the field of human rights.

The OSCE Presence in Albania organized a series of informative sessions on the new covert sources management model from 7 to 11 April 2025.

On 11 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe officially handed over two ambulance vehicles and five sets of equipment to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan.

On 11 April, the OSCE PCUz organized a workshop on gender mainstreaming in anti-corruption at the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Representatives from government ministries and agencies as well as academia and NGOs were involved in the workshop, led by OSCE Adviser on Gender

Labour inspectors sharpened their skills detecting and responding to cases of forced labour, particularly those involving Ukrainians fleeing the war, at a workshop held in Vienna by the Office of the OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the Border Troops and Customs Committee of Uzbekistan and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, held a national training course on identifying suspected foreign terrorist fighters and other criminals at border crossings in Tashkent from 7 to 10 April.

While the general elections in the United States demonstrated the resilience of the country’s democratic institutions, the election process took place in a highly polarized environment. The election was well run, and candidates campaigned freely across the country with the active participation of voters. However, the campaign was marred by disinformation and instances of violence, including harsh and intolerant rhetoric. Repeated, unfounded claims of election fraud negatively impacted public trust. Election day was well managed, with polling peaceful and orderly.

VIENNA, 10 April 2025 — Protecting media freedom is crucial to our democracies and comprehensive security: this was a core message from the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Jan Braathu, during his first report to the OSCE Permanent Council today.

Taking an additional step towards empowering young women from Central Asia and Afghanistan to play an active role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, the Young Women 4 Peace: Empowering Central Asian Young Women Initiative arrived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 8 to 10 April.

Today, the Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo Cornelia Taylor visited the Municipality of Ranilug/Ranillug to meet the Mayor Katarina Ristić-Ilić and to see up-close the community safety initiative implemented by the Local Public Safety Committee (LPSC) in Ranilug/Ranillug with OSCE support.

On 8–9 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, in collaboration with the Law Enforcement Academy under the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, organized a training workshop “Removing Administrative Barriers Contributing to Corruption” for law enforcement agencies. The training event focused on removing administrative barriers that contribute to corruption and enhancing institutional transparency.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mission) welcomes the renewed co-operation between the media and the City of Zenica as well as the City Council’s decision to lift restrictions on coverage of council sessions. As stipulated by the fundamental media freedoms and to ensure the public

On 10 April 2025, the OSCE Presence in Albania and the General Prosecutor’s Office organized a workshop aimed at enhancing investigative and prosecution capacities of electoral crimes ahead of 11 May parliamentary elections.

On his visit to Moldova this week, the Special Representative of the Finnish OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Lenk, acknowledged the constructive interaction between the Sides during the energy crisis and encouraged them to build on the

As part of its efforts to support the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), on 9 April 2025, the OSCE Presence in Albania donated several sets of IT equipment to enhance SPAK’s newly-established Task Force’s capacities in preventing and investigating electoral crimes in the 11 May parliamentary elections.

Spain held its closing plenary meeting as Chair of the OSCE’s Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) on 9 April.

From 8 to 9 April 2025 the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in co-operation with the Public Order Protection Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan, organized a two-day training for 21 police officers, including the staff of the 19 Gender-Sensitive Police Units (13 women and eight men).

On 9 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe handed over 20 smartphones equipped with the SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) system to the State Institution of Specially Protected Natural Areas under the Committee for Environmental Protection.

The results of a new OSCE study on financial literacy were presented to 80 international policymakers and criminal justice practitioners at a side event during an OSCE Security Committee meeting in Vienna on 10 April. The study, “From Risk to Resilience: The Role of Financial Literacy in Youth Crime Prevention”, was presented by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities.

From schools and places of worship to shopping malls, any public place can become a target for terrorists and violent extremists. To enhance the protection of these soft targets, practitioners from over twenty Turkmen government agencies came together for an interactive workshop held by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat on 1 and 2 April.

The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Ambassador Christoph Späti, concluded his visit to Georgia from 31 March to 7 April 2025. In addition to co-facilitating the 124th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) in Ergneti, he met with local and international partners, and participated in field visits.

WARSAW, 8 April 2025 – Support and understanding of the importance of civil society to protect and promote the rights of Roma and Sinti are crucial as the OSCE area continues to witness shrinking space and a significant reduction in funding opportunities for human rights and watchdog organizations focusing on the human rights situation of Roma and Sinti in the region, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said on today’s International Roma Day.

Under Phase 3 of the European Union-funded “Stabilization of Tajikistan's Southern Border Region with Afghanistan” project, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe successfully concluded a three-week Organisation of Border Security course for senior officers of the Border Troops of Tajikistan from 17 March to 5 April 2025 at the Khalkayor Training Centre in Panj, Khatlon region.

Under Phase 3 of the European Union-funded “Stabilization of Tajikistan's Southern Border Region with Afghanistan” project, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe concluded its second “Tactical Field Capacity Building” course for officers of the Border Troops of Tajikistan held from 10 March to 5 April 2025 at the Khalkayor Training Centre in Panj, Khatlon region.

BISHKEK, 3 April 2025 – More than 80 government representatives and members of various religious communities gathered in Ataturk Park to plant over 60 tree seedlings, aiming to enhance the urban environment and foster interfaith dialogue. The initiative, organised by the State Commission on

ERGNETI, 3 April 2025 – The 124th Incident Prevention and Response Mechanism (IPRM) convened in Ergneti today, co-facilitated by the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the South Caucasus, Christoph Späti, and the Head of the EU Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), Bettina Patricia Boughani.

OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp visited Moldova, including Gagauzia and Taraclia, from 24 to 28 March 2025. This was Kamp’s first official country visit since assuming office in December 2024, underscoring his commitment to supporting Moldova’s efforts to foster

VIENNA, 3 April 2025- OSCE Secretary General Feridun H. Sinirlioğlu concluded his first official visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia yesterday, reaffirming the Organization's strong commitment to supporting both countries and promoting regional stability.

WARSAW, 2 April 2025 – Georgia’s new law ‘On the Foreign Agents Registration Act’, requiring all individuals or organisations considered to act in the interest of a foreign entity to register as foreign agents, due for example to foreign funding, and imposing sanctions for lack of compliance, adds to concerns over other legislation adopted recently and the law’s negative impact on civil society, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said today.

TIRANA, 2 April 2025- The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 11 May parliamentary elections in Albania, following an official invitation from the national authorities.

VIENNA, 2 April 2025 – At the 25th Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons, which concluded in Vienna on Tuesday, OSCE leaders and anti-trafficking experts called on the 57 OSCE participating States to turn their commitments into tangible actions and triple down on efforts in the fight against child trafficking.

HELSINKI, 1 April 2025 – OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen has appointed Wolfgang Palaver as Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Discrimination.

The need to prioritize the welfare, wellbeing and empowerment of young survivors of human trafficking was the focus of discussions at an event organized by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and led by International Survivors of Trafficking Advisory Council (ISTAC) on the margins of the 25th Conference of the Alliance against Trafficking in Persons.

The OSCE Transnational Threats Department, in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of Poland, held the eighth in a series of operation training workshops on combating illicit trafficking of art, antiquities and cultural property in Wroclaw, Poland, from 24 to 28 March 2025.

HELSINKI/CHISINAU, 28 MARCH 2025- The Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, Ambassador Thomas Lenk made the following statement after the Joint Control Commission (JCC) Co-Chairs on 27 March confirmed the removal of all checkpoints established by Tiraspol in the Security Zone in 2022 and approved the relevant protocols from the previous JCC meetings, pending from 2022:

The OSCE organized a study visit that brought together Italian, Moldovan and Romanian anti-corruption practitioners in Bucharest, Romania, from 26 to 28 March. The participants shared good practices in combating corruption and the misuse of virtual assets, highlighting the significance of interinstitutional and international co-operation in this area.

The OSCE, launched has presented a new resource on virtual assets, “Decoding Crypto Crime: A Guide for Law Enforcement,” at the Interpol Virtual Assets Summit in Lyon, France, on 27 March. The guide will support law enforcement officers, prosecutors, tax and forensic specialists and other key stakeholders in navigating the complex world of virtual assets.