OSCE ( Organization for security and co-operation in Europe )

ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND CO-OPERATION IN EUROPE

Dilan Priyantha Wickramasinghe – Group No 33

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What is OSCE ? The Organization for Security and Co-

operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control and the promotion of human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections. It employs around 400 people in its secretariat in Vienna, Austria, 200 in its institutions and 2,100 field staff. It has its origins in the 1975 Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) held in Helsinki, Finland.

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Introduction The OSCE has a comprehensive approach to

security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism and economic and environmental activities. All 57 participating States enjoy equal status, and decisions are taken by consensus on a politically, but not legally binding basis.

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Structure of

OSCE

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OSCE Over-view Composed of:• 57 Participating States• 11 Partners of Operation• 2850 Field and Headquarter

operators• A budget totaling $145 million

Euros

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Presses on Security Issues such as:

• Arms control• Human Rights• Freedom of Press• Fair Elections• Early Conflict Warning• Conflict Prevention• Crisis Management• Post-Conflict Rehabilitation

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How it began….• Originally began as CSCE in

1973 ( Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe ) , served to mediate talks between East and West Europe in Cold War.

• Finalized the Helsinki Accords. (30 July – 1 August 1975) 

• In 1994, the CSCE was repurposed due to the Soviet bloc’s fall.

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Leaders •  Secretary‑General - Lamberto Zannier

(Italy)• Chairman-in-Office - Ivica Dacic (Serbia)• Officer for DemocraticInstitutions

andHuman Rights- Michael Georg Link (Germany)

• Representative on Freedom of the Media - Dunja Mijatovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina )

• High Commisioner on National Minorities – Astrid Thors (Finland)

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Secretary-General The incumbent of this post acts as the

representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, and as the OSCE's chief administrative officer. Since the post was created in 1992, Secretaries-General of the OSCE have been:

 Wilhelm Hoynck (1993–1996)  Giancarlo Aragona (1996–1999)  Ján Kubiš (1999–2005)  Marc Perrin de Brichambaut (2005–2011)  Lamberto Zannier (2011– until now)

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ChairmanshipThe responsibilities of the Chairman-in-Office (CiO)

include co-ordination of the work of OSCE institutions; representing the Organization; supervising activities related to conflict

prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation.

The chairmanship rotates annually, and the post of the chairman-in-office is held by the foreign minister of the participating State which holds the chairmanship.

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Relations with the United Nations

The OSCE considers itself a regional organization in the sense of Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter and is an observer in the United Nations General Assembly. The Chairman-in-Office gives routine briefings to the United Nations Security Council.

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Activities • Stops the spread of illegal weapons

and tries to destroy them.• Protects borders of countries such as

Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Dushanbe.• Stopping human trafficking.• Provide early warning and prevention

of terrorist activities. • Aids in economic growth.• Gender equality, environmental

protection.

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Allegations of pro-Russian bias (2014)

The organization has come under increasing criticism in the Russian–Ukraine conflict. The organization has also been criticized by Ukraine for failing to monitor the implementation of the Minsk Protocol .

(Representatives of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), and the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) signed the Minsk Protocol, an agreement to halt the war in the Donbass region of Ukraine, on 5 September 2014 )

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Map of the buffer zone established by the Minsk Protocol

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