On 21 August 2024, Raimonds Oškalns, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to the United Nations, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and other international organisations in Vienna, Austria, presented his letter of credence to Helga Maria Schmid, OSCE Secretary General.
During the meeting, the Ambassador confirmed Latvia’s support to the OSCE and underlined the changes in regional security caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. This has had a direct impact on the work of the OSCE. Raimonds Oškalns called for continuous support to Ukraine in all its forms, using the instruments available to the OSCE. The OSCE needs a number of reforms to maintain its influence in the new geopolitical situation, to be able to take decisions and to improve their implementation.
Both officials agreed that the OSCE is an important forum for strengthening the rules-based international order.
Information
The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organisation, bringing together 57 countries from Europe, Asia and North America. The OSCE uses political dialogue to promote peace, stability and democracy. Joint decisions of the member states are taken by consensus. The organisation takes a comprehensive approach to security and addresses politico-military, economic and environmental security, as well as human rights issues. The OSCE Secretariat and member states’ delegations are based in Vienna, where the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media is also based. The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights is based in Warsaw. The OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities is based in The Hague. The OSCE has missions in its member states in Central Asia, the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, where it implements projects with the consent of these countries and supports the implementation of national commitments in practice.
Latvia joined the OSCE on 10 September 1991.
