Finland’s Foreign Minister, Elina Valtonen, will outline the country’s priorities as the upcoming chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for the year 2025, at the organization’s headquarters in Vienna this Thursday. According to a statement from the OSCE today, Wednesday, in her address to the OSCE Permanent Council, Minister Valtonen will clarify Finland’s priorities, focusing on the protection of the principles and commitments of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
It is noted that Finland will officially take over the presidency of the OSCE from Malta on January 1, 2025, with Minister Valtonen assuming the position of OSCE Chairperson. Details of the presidency program will be presented in January 2025.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is a major regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with 57 member states across Europe, North America, and Asia. Established as the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) during the Cold War in 1973, it was formally renamed to OSCE in 1995. The organization’s mandate spans a wide range of security issues including arms control, the promotion of human rights, freedom of the press, and ensuring free and fair elections. It plays a crucial role in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation. The OSCE is known for its comprehensive approach to security, which includes the politico-military, economic and environmental, and human dimensions, aiming to bridge differences and build trust among states.
