A delegation of seven Permanent Representatives to OSCE visit Tajikistan

From 20 to 23 May, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe (POiD) organized a delegation of seven Permanent Representatives/Ambassadors to OSCE to Tajikistan for a series of high-level meetings and field visits. The visit focused on regional security co-operation, border management, and community-level initiatives supported by the OSCE POiD in Tajikistan.

The visiting delegation included Ambassador Andrea Cascone (Italy), Ambassador Véronique Pepin-Hallé (Canada), Ambassador Susanne Schütz (Germany), Ambassador Fatène Benhabylès-Foeth (France), Ambassador Monique De Ruijter (the Netherlands), Ambassador Neil Holland (United Kingdom), and Chargé d’Affaires Ms. Kate Rebholz (United States).

As part of the programme, the delegation visited the OSCE Border Management Staff College to learn more about its role in strengthening professional capacities in border security and fostering regional dialogue and co-operation among border management practitioners from across the OSCE region.

The Ambassadors also met with representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Tajikistan to discuss ongoing OSCE activities in the politico-military dimension, including efforts related to transnational threats, security and law enforcement co-operation, and cybersecurity, as well as support to the establishment and capacity building efforts for the MoD’s Regional Explosive Hazards Training Centre.

The field component of the visit included a trip to a border post, where the delegation received a presentation on support provided by the OSCE through an EU-funded project, as well as briefings on the current border situation and existing operational challenges.

The delegation also visited one Women Resource Centre, where discussions focused on community support programmes and women’s empowerment.

The programme concluded with a meeting at the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan with Minister Azim Ibrohim, followed by discussions with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Tajikistan, Idibek Kalandar, on OSCE-Tajikistan co-operation and regional priorities.

The visit provided an opportunity for direct dialogue between the Ambassadors, national authorities, and OSCE partners, while offering first-hand insight into the implementation of OSCE-supported initiatives across Tajikistan.