OSCE conducts online regional workshop on delimitation and demarcation practices for the South-East European region

A three-day online regional workshop on delimitation and demarcation practices for the South-East European OSCE participating States concluded on 15 October 2020. The event was organized by the Border Security and Management Unit of the OSCE Transnational Threats Department and focused on maritime boundaries.

Members of the National Boundary Commissions from Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia participated in this interactive training. Specific bilateral experiences in co-operation related to delimitation and demarcation practices from across the OSCE area were presented to participants. They also engaged in practical exercises by defining sea delimitation lines of fictional states.

International experts, including one of the authors of the Guidebook on Delimitation and Demarcation Practices in the OSCE Area, representatives of the United Nations Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, as well as of the Surveyor General Branch of the Natural Resources of Canada, conducted the seminar.

“The delimitation and demarcation of marine waterways require expertise and close co-operation between the relevant authorities of OSCE participating States. This workshop is designed to support our participating States' technical work in this challenging field,” said Dennis Cosgrove, Head of the Border Security and Management Unit, in his opening remarks.

Challenges regarding delimitation and demarcation remain high on the agenda of the OSCE, as it was reiterated by the participating States in a number of fora in 2019. This event is the eighth workshop on this topic and builds on the success and recommendations of previous events.