Today, Canada assumed the Chairpersonship of the OSCE’s Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) until December 2023. During the opening session, Canada’s Minister of National Defence, the Honourable Bill Blair, underlined the importance Canada attaches to the role of the FSC and to dialogue on security across the OSCE region.
“As a founding member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Canada is honoured to become Forum for Security Co-operation Chair for the first time in 17 years. The OSCE and FSC have an important role to play in upholding peace, security, and democracy. As FSC Chair, Canada will remain a staunch defender of human rights and along with OSCE partners, we will continue to stand up for the rules-based international order – including by supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion,” said Minister Blair.
Informed by the input from other participating States, Canada will set the agenda of the FSC and chair its weekly meetings, which will serve as a platform for dialogue amongst the 57 OSCE participating States. This will include ‘security dialogues’, featuring international expert panelists, on security issues facing the OSCE region.
Maintaining an approach that is informed by diversity and gender equality, Canada will organize five priority discussions that will cover mine action, international humanitarian law, Women, Peace and Security, mental health impacts of war, and information integrity in the military space.
“Canada strongly supports the work of the OSCE and is looking forward, as FSC Chair, to collaborating with participating States on security issues across the OSCE region,” said Ambassador Jocelyn Kinnear, Canada’s Permanent Representative to the OSCE. “One of the most pressing issues facing the Forum remains addressing the impacts of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”
The OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation is the OSCE’s politico-military decision-making body, which aims to foster the norms of openness and transparency between OSCE participating States. Canada last chaired the Forum in 2006, when it oversaw the FSC’s 500th meeting.
(Photo: OSCE/Micky Kroell)
