The OSCE Ministerial CouncilOSCE Ministerial Council concluded today. The meeting brought together foreign ministers and senior officials from across the OSCE participating states, in the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine.
The discussions held yesterday and today focused on the ramifications and regional security challenges created by Russia's war against Ukraine, from the increased risks of human trafficking to emerging energy security challenges.
The Ministerial Council was the last high-level event of the Polish Chairmanship of the OSCE in 2022. Polish Foreign Minister Rau said in a most challenging year that the preservation of peace and security, dialogue and co-operation, and the human dimension of the OSCE are the cornerstones of the Organization. They are non-negotiable pillars that are fundamental to our better future, which I firmly believe is coming. I consider sticking to the legacy of Poland's Chairmanship-in-Office and of this Organization. North Macedonia is ready to take its share of responsibility, entrusted to serve as Chair of the Organization. Idleness is not an option. We need to give the mechanisms the space needed to make a difference, and we need to empower the OSCE. We are aware of the good things this Organization has done. If we are united around its existence and relevance, it is our duty to keep it capacitated, said the incoming OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani.
As we look back at the year, we see the devastation the war has brought and we see how OSCE has delivered to alleviate the challenges posed by the war and to support those actors and institutions which provide stability and security not only on Ukraine but on South-eastern Europe and well beyond, said OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid.
During our meetings over the last two days, Ministers agreed that the OSCE is a multilateral platform with all stakeholders at the table for European and Eurasian security and that it remains vitally important for the challenges ahead, she said.
The OSCE brings together 57 participating states from across the northern hemisphere. In addition to its Secretariat in Vienna, it includes 12 field operations in South-Eastern Europe, Moldova and Central Asia, as well as three independent institutions: the High Commissioner for National Minorities, the Representative on Freedom of the Media and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.