To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing UK support to the OSCE.
Answered on
18 March 2021
The UK is a firm supporter of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), whose principles and commitments provide a roadmap for enhancing the security of all participating States. Through our annual contribution to the OSCE Unified Budget and our regular diplomatic engagement, we provide support towards the full range of OSCE work, including its autonomous human rights institutions and network of field missions.
We are one of the largest financial contributors to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine. We also aim to enhance organisational effectiveness by seconding UK personnel with relevant expertise into OSCE positions. There are currently UK secondees in a number of key positions, including within the SMM and Kosovo field mission. As chair of the OSCE Security Committee in 2020 and 2021, we aim to set a wide-ranging agenda for discussion and embed lasting reforms on a range of security priorities, including serious organised crime and cyber security.