Swiss foreign minister wants a more pragmatic and agile OSCE
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Swiss foreign minister wants a more pragmatic and agile OSCE
The OSCE must be able to act more quickly under the Swiss chairmanship. To achieve this, pragmatic reforms are needed within the organisation, Ignazio Cassis said on Thursday.
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) must play its part, even if it does not receive additional resources. It is not a question of doing “more”, but “better”. It must be able to act when the pace of history quickens”, Cassis said in his speech on Thursday in Vienna.
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To achieve this, procedures must be simplified and the capacity to act accelerated. Resources must be better prioritised. Discipline is also needed to be able to act strategically despite “budgetary constraints”.
For several years, the OSCE has been unable to adopt a new budget. That is why the 2021 budget is always carried over to the new year. Because of inflation, it loses value from year to year. What’s more, no new projects can be launched and no new posts created. For a new budget – and for every decision – the 57 Member States have to reach a consensus.
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“Consensus must regain its meaning,” continued Cassis, adding that it should not be used as a right of veto, but as a commitment to make progress on the essentials.
In 2026, Switzerland will chair the OSCE for the third time, following its chairpersonships in 1996 and 2014. During its 2026 leadership, Switzerland will support any “credible path” towards a “just peace” in Ukraine. It also wishes to strengthen multilateralism and preserve democracy.
Adapted from French by DeepL/ac
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