OSCE-supported conference on tackling emerging transnational threats in Mediterranean region concludes in Monaco today

MONACO, 2 June 2015 – Importance of international dialogue and co-operation between the OSCE participating States and Mediterranean Partners in tacking emerging transnational threats in the Mediterranean region was the focus of the joint OSCE and Principality of Monaco two-day conference, which concluded today in Monaco.  

Over 60 participants from the OSCE region and the Partners for Co-operation from Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, OSCE Secretariat, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and INTERPOL, International Organization for Migration, European External Action Service, European Commission, as well as representatives from civil society and the private sector shared experiences, views and good practices in finding ways to address irregular migration, to trace illicit financial flows and assets emanating from transnational organized crime,  to improve seaport and airport security, and to prevent illicit weapons trafficking across borders.

Opening the conference, Gilles Tonelli, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Principality of Monaco said: “As a Mediterranean state, the Principality of Monaco supports the collaborative approach in tackling existing threats that are of concern to all participating States and Partners for Co-operation. The recent socio-economic and political developments have demonstrated the continued necessity for enhancing the OSCE engagement with the Partners for Co-operation on the basis of the existing OSCE commitments. The Principality of Monaco remains fully committed to further promoting dialogue on these important issues.”

Participants to the conference noted that the Mediterranean region is confronted with irregular migration that needs to be addressed as such in a broad context of regional co-operation and policy development. "The Mediterranean region faces a myriad of challenges including irregular migration, organized crime activities, related to illicit financial flows as well as trafficking of controlled or illegal substances," said Aleksandar Nikolić, State Secretary of Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia, chairing the OSCE in 2015. “The OSCE provides an all-inclusive forum where we can discuss how these challenges could be best addressed collectively and contribute to building security community from Vancouver to Vladivostok.”

Maciej Popowski, Deputy Secretary General for European External Action Service, said: “Nature of the threats and globalization, forces us to work together both within the EU and internationally, including the OSCE, the UNODC and INTERPOL.”

“This conference contributed to international efforts to enhance dialogue and co-operative efforts of the OSCE participating States and Partners for Co-operation from the Mediterranean region to increase their capacities to identify and counter emerging transnational threats and to strengthen their response to such threats through information sharing and closer co-operation,” noted Alexey Lyzhenkov, OSCE Co-ordinator of Activities to Address Transnational Threats.