Organization for Security and cooperation in Europe

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is the world’s largest security oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of press, and fair elections. Most of its 3, 500-plus staff are engaged in field operations, with only around 10% in its headquarters.

The OSCE is an ad hoc organization under the United Nations Charter (Chapter YIII), and is concerned with early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. Its 56 participating states are from Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia and North America and cover most of the northern hemisphere. It was created during the Cold War era as an East – West forum.

Political direction to the organization is given by heads of state or government during summits. Summits are not regular or scheduled but held as needed. The high-level decision-making body of the Organization is the Ministerial Council, which meets at the end of every year. At ambassadorial level the Permanent Council convenes weekly in Vienna and serves as the regular negotiating and decision-making body. The post of Chairman-in-Office is held by the minister for foreign affairs of the participating state which holds the chairmanship.

In addition to the Ministerial Council and Permanent Council, the Forum for Security Cooperation is also an OSCE decision-making body. It deals predominantly with the matters of military cooperation.

The OSCE’s Secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria. The Organization has also offices in Copenhagen, Geneva, the Hague, Prague and Warsaw.

The oldest OSCE institution is the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), established in 1991 following a decision made in 1990 Summit of Paris.

Activities in the economic and environmental dimension include the monitoring of development related to economic and environmental security in OSCE participating states, with the aim of altering them to any threat of conflict; assisting states in creation of economic or environmental policies, legislation and institutions to promote security in the OSCE region.