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1277th Plenary Meeting of the Permanent Council

This report presents a general overview of the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), its main activities and latest news as of 27 July 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic created new risks and challenges to victims of trafficking (VoTs) and survivors of trafficking, as well as having exacerbated the vulnerabilities of at-risk groups to trafficking. To analyze emerging trafficking in human beings (THB) trends and dynamics and to develop a response based on empirical data to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, ODIHR and UN Women conducted a global survey of (1) survivors of trafficking and (2) frontline stakeholders. Based on the survey findings and empirical data collected, a set of policy recommendations were developed.

Conventional Arms Transfer

Information Exchange on Participating States’ Policy and/or National Practices and Procedures for the Export of Conventional Arms and Related Technology

The Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1372 on the dates and agenda of the 2020 Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meeting.

Conventional Arms Transfer

Address by the Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, H.E. Mr. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis. Report of the Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Clemens Koja. Presentation of the Annual Progress Report on the Implementation of the OSCE Gender Action Plan by Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Officer in Charge in Absence of the Secretary General. The Permanent Council adopted Decision No. 1372 on the dates and agenda of the 2020 Economic and Environmental Dimension Implementation Meeting. Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and illegal occupation of Crimea (Lithuania, Annex 1). Situation in Ukraine and the need to implement the Minsk agreements. National Press Day in Azerbaijan, observed on 22 July 2020. Latest developments in Belarus in the context of the upcoming presidential election, to be held on 9 August 2020. Situation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Russian Federation. Resumption of federal executions in the United States of America. Attacks on Russian journalists in the United States of America. Farewell to the Permanent Representative of Belgium to the OSCE, Ambassador P. Huynen. Presidential election in Moldova, to be held on 1 November 2020. Local elections in Ukraine, to be held on 25 October 2020 (Ukraine, Annex 2).

Closing Statement by Mr. A. Taran, Minister of Defence of Ukraine (United States of America, Annex 1; United Kingdom, Annex 2; Turkey, Annex 3; Russian Federation, Annex 4; Georgia, Annex 5). Briefing on a snap military exercise in the Southern and Western Military Districts of the Russian Federation, conducted from 17 to 21 July 2020 (Russian Federation, Annex 6). Notification given on 14 July 2020 of the resumption of verification activities under the Vienna Document 2011 (Russian Federation, Annex 7).

1276th Plenary Meeting of the Permanent Council