OSCE Secretary General to address Yalta conference on future shocks to global security – good and bad

Are we ready to deal with potential future shocks such as terrorism, cybercrime, drugs, human trafficking, increased migration and climate change? And how can regional organizations contribute? This is the key question for a panel discussion at the Yalta Annual Meeting in Crimea, Ukraine, on 20 September 2013, in which OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier will take part.

Zannier will focus on building resilience to expected negative shocks, how to turn unavoidable transformations – such as destruction of traditional economic sectors - into a positive force for change and how to prepare for benign events such as increased life expectancy and education for all. Zannier will highlight the OSCE’s efforts to prevent violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism; improve cybercrime investigation; raise public awareness of the danger of drugs, and create working mechanisms to fight trafficking in human beings.

During his visit he will meet OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Leonid Kozhara. The meeting will focus on preparations for the Ministerial Council of 5 to 6 December in Kyiv, the “Helsinki+40 process” to project the future path of the OSCE’s by 2015, and on protracted conflicts in the OSCE area.

On 19 September, he will meet the EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele for discussions on the political situation in OSCE participating States, EU/OSCE co-operation in conflict resolution and the implementation of the Belgrade-Pristina agreement, especially where it concerns election facilitation.

Zannier will also meet high-level representatives of INTERPOL and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to discuss current co-operation and prospects for closer interaction in the future.

The Yalta Annual Conference will be webcast at www.yes-ukraine.org, the panel with the participation of the OSCE Secretary General will start on 20 September 2013 at 16:00 local time.