Workshops on OSCE Field Activities

March-September 2023

How is the Russian war against Ukraine impacting OSCE participating States and societies in the OSCE area? Have new regional risks emerged since February 2022? How can the OSCE utilize its platform and tools to help participating States and societies cope with challenges on the regional, state, and societal levels?

The OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions examined these questions within the framework of the project “Security Needs of States and Societies: Options for the OSCE.” The project was funded by the German Federal Foreign Office and managed by the OSCE Network coordinating institutions: the Centre for OSCE Research (CORE) at IFSH Hamburg and the University of Birmingham. External partners and other member institutions from the OSCE Network were also involved in the project.

Workshops were conducted in Southeastern Europe, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus that brought together representatives from the OSCE, state institutions, research institutions, and advocacy organizations. In addition, separate interviews were conducted by Frank Evers (CORE/IFSH) and Stefan Wolff (University of Birmingham). Approximately 150 participants and interlocutors from nine countries contributed to the project.

The locations and co-convening institutions for each workshop conducted within the framework of the project are as follows: Belgrade, March 2023, Belgrade Centre for Security Policy; Pristina, March/April 2023, Kosovar Centre for Security Studies; Tashkent, May 2023, Institute for Advanced International Studies of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy; Astana, May 2023, Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Bishkek, May 2023, OSCE Academy in Bishkek; Chișinău, June 2023, Institute for European Policies and Reforms; and Tbilisi, September 2023, Georgian Institute of Politics. In addition, in September 2023, interviews were conducted in Yerevan and a webinar was organized with colleagues from Baku.

Findings from the workshops and interviews will be summarized in a report that will be presented to partners and the OSCE community in Vienna in autumn 2023.