TIRANA, 25 October 2019 — Making tangible steps towards a more strategic, action-oriented approach to co-operation between the OSCE and its Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation was the focus of the two-day 2019 OSCE Mediterranean Conference, which concluded today in Tirana.

Discussions focused on security challenges posed by violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism, leveraging co-operation in areas such as empowering youth, fostering economic connectivity and digitalization.

“We identified concrete proposals for the future of the Mediterranean partnership. And we now need to redouble our efforts and work together to put these proposals into practice,” said Albania’s Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj.

Some of the proposals discussed were: ensuring a higher level of political engagement; making the Partnership Fund more operational; ensuring greater flexibility to support practical co-operation projects; and further developing a sense of co-ownership and co-responsibility for the Partnership.

“As Albania prepares to assume the OSCE 2020 Chair, we are convinced that a reinforced political dialogue with all Partners for Co-operation is essential to fully capitalize on the unique platform that is the OSCE. “Albania will promote closer political consultations with the Partners in 2020,” said Cakaj.

Secretary General Thomas Greminger said that further integrating Mediterranean issues, as some participating States have called for, ultimately hinges on the willingness of participating States to keep the Mediterranean high on the OSCE agenda. “If we want to support new projects of practical co-operation with Mediterranean Partners, more resources will be needed.”

“We also need to better articulate the added value that the OSCE can bring to Mediterranean initiatives,” said Greminger. “This requires assessing which policy areas are more suitable and promising for our future co-operation with the Partners.”

Participants agreed that the expectations of Partner countries — Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia — will have to remain at the center of discussions. “Mediterranean Partners have a key role to play in determining the future pace and path of our co-operation,” said Greminger.

“I thank the Partners for their valuable contribution to this year’s productive and commemorative event, the 25^thanniversary of the OSCE Mediterranean Partnership. In the months to come, we need to continue at the same pace, be proactive and creative,” said Cakaj.

Organized by the Albanian Chairmanship of the OSCE’s Mediterranean Contact Group under the title “Achievements, challenges and future opportunities for OSCE Mediterranean Partnership”, the conference was attended by a number of foreign ministers and deputy foreign ministers and more than 250 high level representatives of the Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation, OSCE participating States, OSCE institutions, international organizations, civil society, academia and media.