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Ministerial Council 2016

7 December 2016

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Final Decisions and Declarations

In the area of migration, participating States agreed to continue supporting the work of the OSCE and to use the Organization as a platform for dialogue and to continue addressing migration-related issues where the OSCE has expertise with the aim of developing effective measures and common approaches to address this challenge.

In the economic and environmental sphere, States took a wide-ranging decision on strengthening good governance, transparency and improving the business climate; promoting connectivity through transport and trade facilitation; adherence to labour, social and environmental standards; and strengthening public-private partnerships in the fight against corruption, money laundering and financing of terrorism.

States also committed to exploring how the negative developments with regards to conventional arms control and the architecture of confidence- and security-building measures can be reversed, and to support OSCE efforts in this area.

In the politico-military field, States decided to continue and build on the OSCE’s efforts related to reducing the risks of conflict stemming from the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), they voiced unanimous support for strengthening OSCE efforts to counter and prevent terrorism, and decided to enhance the use of Advance Passenger Information (API) with the aim of combating terrorism.

The Ministerial Council voiced full support on the negotiations on the Transdniestrian Settlement Process in the “5+2” format, and called on sides to continue their engagement.

There was agreement that Slovakia will chair the OSCE in 2019, and this follows a decision taken earlier during Germany’s OSCE Chairmanship that Italy will chair the Organization in 2018.

The following final decisions and declarations were adopted at the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg:

What's it all about?

From 8 to 9 December 2016, OSCE Foreign Ministers will convene in Hamburg, Germany, for the annual Ministerial Council, to consider issues relevant to the organization and take the appropriate decisions.

OSCE Ministerial Council

The Ministerial Council was established by the Charter of Paris for a New Europe (1990) under the original name of "Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs". The 1992 Helsinki Document reaffirmed its role as the central decision-making and governing body of the OSCE and gave it more extensive powers in the field of conflict prevention and crisis management. The 1994 Budapest Document renamed it "Ministerial Council" and fully confirmed its pivotal political role.

Learn more about the OSCE Ministerial Council

Bringing together foreign ministers and delegations from the 57 OSCE participating States, the two-day Council occurs near the end of every year and in the final stages of each chairmanship. It acts as the main central decision-making and governing body in the period between OSCE summits and provides a rare opportunity for participating States and 11 Partners for Co-operation to engage in high-level multilateral and bilateral talks on their current security relations and concerns.

This page will be updated as more information becomes available. Follow the discussion online on Twitter @GER_OSCE and @OSCE or using #OSCEMC16 hashtag.

December 6: Preparations

December 7: Preparations

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Hamburg before the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council, 7 December 2016.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg. No other city in Germany represents open-mindedness, tolerance and international connectivity quite like Hamburg. The German OSCE Chairmanship also embodies all of these values: we have worked towards building bridges, strengthening dialogue and engaging civil society further in the OSCE’s discussion and decision making processes. The key priorities of the German OSCE Chairmanship in 2016 have emphasized essential objectives in the face of current crises: “Renewing dialogue, rebuilding trust, restoring security”.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier 2016 OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, German Foreign Minister

Read the entire statement here
Secretary General Lamberto Zannier (c) with the team from Ljubljana University, Slovenia, one of the three finalists of the #UnitedCVE Peer-2-Peer OSCE Regional Competition on challenging violent extremism in Hamburg, 7 December 2016.

OSCE #UnitedCVE and Peer-2-Peer final: students challenging violent extremism

The Peer-2-Peer (P2P) initiative challenges teams of students from around the world to develop a digital or social initiative, product, or tool to educate and empower their peers to challenge violent extremism. At a side event the three finalist universities from the OSCE region compete for the best creative social and digital media campaign to counter violent extremism, pitching their creative concepts live in front of a jury, delegates and the media. The event is part of the OSCE United in Countering Violent Extremism campaign. Learn more about the event.

Watch the recording of our live stream from the opening: part one and part two.

Learn more about #UnitedCVE

December 8: Day 1

08:00 - We will posting live updates on this page throughout the day with the latest from the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Counci in Hamburg. Follow the discussion on Twitter @GER_OSCE and @OSCE. Watch live at www.osce.org/live.

09:10 - OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Frank-Walter Steinmeier welcomes of Heads of Delegations to the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg.

10:00 - Opening session begins, watch live at www.osce.org/live.

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier at the First Plenary Session of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council, Hamburg, 8 December 2016.

10:15 - Plenary session I begins, watch live at www.osce.org/live.

11:42 - PRESS RELEASE: In address to OSCE Ministerial Council, PA President Muttonen urges strong and effective OSCE through principle-based dialogue

Meanwhile, on the sidelines:

Plenary session one continues.

13:15 - Foreign Ministers and Heads of Delegations of theOSCE participating States pose for the traditional family photo.

14:15 - Side Event in the Mixed Zone: European Security - Challenges on a Societal Level, organized by the OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions.

The panel at the "European Security – Challenges at the Societal Level" side event organized by OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions, on the margins of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council, Hamburg, 8 December 2016.

Network

The OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions presented two reports at side events of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council:

Learn more

16:16 - PRESS RELEASE: We need a strong OSCE for a secure Europe says OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Steinmeier at opening of Hamburg Ministerial Council

18:26 - PRESS RELEASE: Joint Statement by the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries

18:52 - PRESS RELEASE: OSCE Chairperson-in-Office addresses Ministerial Council event on crisis in and around Ukraine, praises work of SMM and Trilateral Contact Group

21:08 - PRESS RELEASE: Youth are essential to strengthening security, conclude participants at side event during OSCE Ministerial Council in Hamburg

21:10 PRESS RELEASE: Slovenia’s University of Ljubljana wins Peer-2-Peer OSCE ‘Challenging extremism’ competition in Hamburg

Winners of the regional “Peer-2-Peer: Challenging Extremism” OSCE competition after the award ceremony on the margins of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council: teams from University of Ljubljana (1st place), Simon Fraser University (2d place), Lund University (3d place), Hamburg, 8 December 2016. (OSCE/Fanni Uusitalo)

December 9: Day 2

09:00 - OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier briefing the media before the plenary sessions resume on the second day of the Ministerial Council.

10:00 - Journalists from Russia and Ukraine present the results of the joint project Two Countries – One Profession: A Dialogue between Journalists from Russia and Ukraine.

13:22 - PRESS RELEASE: Protection of human rights defenders is vital to realize OSCE human rights commitments, says OSCE/ODIHR Director Link

 


Conference Resources

Information about the logistical modalities, media accreditation, the agenda, and other conference documents can be found on the event page of the 23rd OSCE Ministerial Council.

23rd OSCE Ministerial Council