COPENHAGEN, 24 June 2024 – This Saturday, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s 31st Annual Session will open with speeches by OSCE PA President Pia Kauma (Finland), President of the Senate of Romania Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă, and Head of the Romanian Delegation to the OSCE PA Dan Barna.
Taking place at the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania, from 29 June to 3 July, the Annual Session will be held under the general theme “The Role of the OSCE in the Current Security Architecture: A Parliamentary Perspective.” Hundreds of parliamentarians from North America, Europe and Central Asia are taking part in the event.
The Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine will top the agenda, which also includes a special debate on the situation in the Middle East and its implications for developments in the OSCE region. Debates are also expected on the new security challenges of artificial intelligence.
Other important issues to be covered at the meeting include:
- Disinformation and propaganda
- Climate change and water scarcity
- Countering the proliferation of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids
- Antisemitism in the OSCE region
- Corruption and foreign policy
- Migration
- Human trafficking
- Civil society
- Environmental protection in armed conflicts
Also on the agenda are meetings of the OSCE PA’s ad hoc committees dealing with migration issues, counter-terrorism and parliamentary support for Ukraine, as well as the annual working lunch on gender issues.
The plenary session of 3 July is expected to feature speeches by Romanian Foreign Minister Luminiţa-Teodora Odobescu, OSCE Chair-in-Office and Foreign Minister of Malta Ian Borg, and OSCE Secretary General Helga Maria Schmid. OSCE PA Treasurer Johan Büser (Sweden) and Secretary General Roberto Montella will report to the Standing Committee on 29 June.
The OSCE PA’s general committees will debate and amend the resolutions for inclusion in the Bucharest Declaration to be adopted on 3 July. This document, representing the collective voice of the OSCE’s parliamentary dimension, will contain recommendations to national governments, parliaments and the international community in the fields of security, human rights, and economic and environmental concerns.
NB:
For more information about the Annual Session, including programmes, reports, draft resolutions and supplementary items, please click here.
Journalists interested in attending the Annual Session should pre-register with an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Annual Session Press Registration,” and the following information in the body of the email: name, media outlet, position, and contact information. Please also attach a press badge, if available.
