Interview with Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan

The Mandate of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan was renewed in March 2017. The Office, under the leadership of Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, now looks forward to continuing and strengthening a constructive relationship with the host country’s government and civil society partners. In this interview Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, who has headed the Office since October 2016, shares some of her expectations and views.   

What are the priorities of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan?

The priorities of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan are agreed on a yearly basis with the Tajik Government and our civil society partners. Our projects support the Republic of Tajikistan’s Development Strategy 2016-2020.

The OSCE divides its work in three dimensions, which address the economic, environmental, human and political aspects of security and stability in the country. This year we will continue to support mine clearance operations. By doing this we help provide safe land for people to farm and children to go to school. We have also for a number of years been engaged in border control-related activities. As part of our program we train border officials from Central Asian and OSCE member states, but primarily from Tajikistan and Afghanistan. They learn about border security related matters at the Border Management Staff College BMSC and through our patrol planning and leadership project they learn about practical patrolling challenges, such as working in harsh winter conditions. In addition the Office supports the implementation of the National Border Management Strategy. For the Office civil society is an important partner, so we also support policy dialogue between elected officials and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

In order to strengthen the Tajik economy the Office provides support to Free Economic Zones and cross-border trade. We also work with NGOs, called  Aarhus Centres, that educate the population around the country on environmental concerns.

We have a big network of Women’s Resource Centres that work against domestic violence. These 18 centres are spread throughout the country and provide free legal support, psycho-social assistance and vocational training to victims of domestic violence. For the past years we’ve also been working with a group of women politicians and activists to empower women by increasing their participation in the decision-making process.

You look back on a long career as a Finnish diplomat. What have been some of your postings?  

In my previous career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, my focus was on the Commonwealth of Independent States region. I also had postings in the United States and was involved in work on European Union enlargement in the early 2000s. Before joining the OSCE I was Ambassador of Finland to Egypt, with a side accreditation to Sudan.

Did you have previous experience working with Tajikistan?

My friendship with Tajikistan goes back a long way.  My first visit to the country was in 2008, when Finland held the Chairmanship of the OSCE. As part of this trip we visited the OSCE Office in Tajikistan and reached an agreement on a new mandate for the Office with the government.  From 2010 to 2013 I was Roving Ambassador of Finland to Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. During this time, I had the pleasure of visiting Dushanbe several times a year. I had the honour of organizing the first Finnish Independence Day reception here in December 2012. Also during this time, H.E. President Emomali Rahmon visited my country. We had successful bilateral consultations between the foreign ministries of our countries. In addition, Finland set up a development strategy for the region, and I am proud to say that I had the opportunity to work on that as well.

What motivated you to take the position of Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan?

Having worked in the Finnish Foreign Service for over 30 years, I welcomed the opportunity to look at the world, the region and in particular Tajikistan from the perspective of an international organization. Learning to work within an international organization is also interesting for me from the management point of view.I was also delighted to return to Tajikistan and Central Asia, after three years in the Middle East which gave some new perspective on the world.

What do you see as the main added value of the OSCE in Tajikistan?

I observed the work that the OSCE does through its field missions for many years. When visiting Tajikistan, I always used to visit the OSCE Office or attend briefings. These meetings, and now my own inside experience as Head of the Office, reinforced my belief that the OSCE has a valuable role to play in supporting participating States that request it. Capacity building in various fields, which is our main offering, contributes to strengthening the internal stability and economic capabilities of a country, and supports the country’s ability to deal with potential external threats.

I hope and expect that our good co-operation with the Government and people of Tajikistan continues, through our project activities in the various fields that I have mentioned. The world is not a ready place, and there is always room for adjustment and improvement. In the coming months I look forward to working with the Tajik authorities and other partners, as well as the OSCE Chairmanship, in a forward-looking manner.

How would you describe Tajikistan to someone who’s never visited it?
The Tajik people are generous, warm-hearted and hospitable. I have invited my friends to visit and have told them about the natural beauty of Tajikistan by which I am enchanted. Tajikistan has magnificent mountains where I look forward to hiking.

I have also told my friends how Dushanbe is developing – new buildings are coming up everywhere I look. I encourage people to take a look at the map of the world to understand the strategic location of the country, and its historical, present and future significance.