To address the current issues related to the overall functioning of the Organization, the OSCE Chairpersonship of North Macedonia convened today a reinforced meeting of the Permanent Council at the ministerial level.

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani, said: “The OSCE is facing unprecedented risks and challenges that require immediate resolution. As our Chairpersonship motto says ‘It’s about people’ and for them we need to sit at this table and discuss solutions.”

“Peace, stability and co-operative security today in the OSCE region are shattered. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine continues to take innocent lives and cause widespread suffering. The continuation of this war harms our Organization too – it challenges its relevance and purpose,” he added.

Almost all OSCE participating States underlined the importance of the OSCE as an Organization with its unique, comprehensive, approach to security. They expressed their support to the prompt call for action to enable a functional and effective OSCE.

“The challenges ahead are enormous and we should act together in overcoming them. It is a ripe time to substantiate our declarations that we care about this Organization. The OSCE exists and works for the people, it can and it will deliver, carried by the waves of support that we witnessed today. It is for these reasons that we have to support and ensure its functionality,” concluded Chairman Osmani.

The OSCE participating States were represented by foreign ministers and high officials. The meeting took place at the Hofburg in Vienna and was held in a blended format.