Speeches and Interviews of the Permanent Representative

On the report by the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities

Mr. Chairperson,

 

We thank the distinguished Ambassador Vuk Žugić for presenting the work priorities for the current

year.

We welcome his Office’s desire to expand the scale and scope of programmes designed to support participating States in the implementation of their commitments in the fields of economic activities and environmental protection. The growing number of requests for such support confirms the relevance of the second dimension as a space in which constructive efforts can be undertaken to enhance stability and prevent conflicts in the OSCE area. It is important to preserve the depoliticized nature of work in the economic and environmental dimension, which remains one of the pillars of the Organization’s comprehensive approach to security.

In this respect, we are pleased to take note of the Office’s plans to continue implementing projects aimed at strengthening trade and transport connectivity and at simplifying customs and border procedures.

The development of transport corridors is a key prerequisite for economic co-operation and also constitutes the basis for aligning integration processes in the OSCE area with a view to establishing a “Greater Eurasian Partnership”.

On the other hand, we are disappointed that the report does not mention any plans to implement Ambassador Žugić’s proposal for organizing a commemorative event to mark the 30th anniversary of the CSCE Conference on Economic Co-operation in Europe that was held in Bonn in 1990 In our view, it would be wrong to abandon the idea of reviving the spirit of co-operation and reaffirming the Organization’s commitment to the principles laid down in the Concluding Document of that landmark conference.

We take note of the Office’s contribution to the successful organization of the First Preparatory Meeting (held in Vienna in February) for the 28th OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum. The discussions at the meeting confirmed the relevance of the topic of preventing and combating corruption, which was selected by the Albanian Chairmanship as a priority theme for this year’s Economic and Environmental Forum. We support the idea of studying the role of digital technologies in the fight against corruption. We are determined to continue engaging in dialogue on ways of increasing international co-operation in this field both at the Second Preparatory Meeting in May and during the anti-corruption conference that, as announced by the Chairmanship, will take place in Tirana in July. We look forward to working closely with the Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office on Combating Corruption, Paola Severino.