Voices from the PCUz: Ambassador Clemens Koja

Ambassador Koja, you chaired the OSCE Permanent Council when Austria held the Chairpersonship in 2017 and were Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje from 2018 to 2022. You are now Acting OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan. In your opinion, how has the OSCE evolved over the years? How important is it today?

Austria chaired the OSCE in difficult times, but nobody could have imagined then that the challenges would become even greater. The military escalation around Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020, which occurred notwithstanding the considerable efforts that Minsk Group Co-Chairs invested in the past 30 years, and especially Russia’s war against Ukraine, have made one of the OSCE’s most important roles – to serve as a unique platform for dialogue and co-operation among its participating States, fostering trust and collaboration to address shared challenges in a comprehensive manner – more challenging than ever. That being said, the OSCE continues to deliver concrete results, including through the relentless work of its field operations and its autonomous institutions (the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the High Commissioner on National Minorities, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media). I remain deeply convinced of the significance, even necessity of the OSCE. 2025 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act: today, as in 1975, the principles contained in this document lay the foundation of our common security architecture.

As Acting Head of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, what is your general opinion about the host country’s ongoing reform path? How will these reforms help advance the country?

I have been here only for a short time, yet the general impression I had from the very beginning was of a country in profound transformation. Uzbekistan’s reform path dates back to 2017 with its “Action Strategy for Development” and it has become more ambitious with the newly adopted “Development Strategy for New Uzbekistan 2022-2026.” This is clear evidence of the country’s long-term commitment to a new quality of socio-economic development for its people and in all spheres of public life – from reforming the public administration to deepening democratic reforms, from advancing gender equality to boosting economic development and competiveness, just to name a few. I am convinced that such continuity of reforms has been essential for them to become more effective over the years, thus contributing to that rapidly changing context in which the OSCE Project Co-ordinator is operating and implementing its project activities. I am leaving the country while the “New Uzbekistan” is taking its shape and expect that this development trend will continue in the years to come, first and foremost for the benefit of the people of Uzbekistan and the region at large.

How important is the work carried out by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator to support these reforms?

As I mentioned, Uzbekistan is currently experiencing a profound transformation and the OSCE Project Co-ordinator is playing its role in it. Every day in Tashkent and in the regions, our staff are supporting the host country with its reform agenda through a dynamic portfolio of project activities across all three security dimensions. Although this may seem general, in fact these are very specific activities, the value of which I have myself witnessed as Head of Mission. Particularly, our projects range from organizing webinars on trends in contemporary policing for cadets in Uzbekistan to promoting women’s entrepreneurship in Central Asia, from strengthening the open data ecosystem to organizing human rights trainings for lawyers as well as trainings for persons with disabilities aspiring to become members of Parliament, again just to name a few. In addition, we regularly collaborate with other international organizations that have their offices in Uzbekistan. For instance, recently we collaborated with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – Regional Office for Central Asia (UN OHCHR ROCA) and organized a training for the preparation of the sixth periodic report of Uzbekistan on the implementation of the UN Convention against Torture. This is important because since its deployment, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator has been supporting the implementation of the development strategies focusing on the people of Uzbekistan. That is why we attach great importance to the OSCE Chairmanship of North Macedonia’s motto “It’s About People.” I am certain that the OSCE will continue to come closer to the people of Uzbekistan in the years ahead.

Ambassador Koja, you are leaving your position. Overall, how can you describe your experience in Central Asia and with the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan?

My time in Central Asia as OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan has been a unique and very enriching experience. It was my first time in this important region and I enjoyed finding out about the incredible beauty and richness of its cultural heritage in cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Kokand or Shahrisabz, its nature while hiking in the mountains and swimming in the lakes, as well as its traditions when discovering delicious food and fantastic handcrafted products. And, of course, the most beautiful and enriching experience was meeting people. I was impressed not just by their professionalism but also by their kindness, a trait that I, but also my family, observed all over the country. Working with the dedicated team of the OSCE field operation was a great experience and I am sure that under the leadership of the next Head of Mission they will continue to deliver meaningful results in the interest of Uzbekistan and its people.