Support for the OSCE Programme Office in Astana’s comprehensive security work and reform agenda: UK statement to the OSCE

Support for the OSCE Programme Office in Astana’s comprehensive security work and reform agenda: UK statement to the OSCE Deputy Ambassador James Ford welcomes the OSCE Programme Office in Astana’s report and commends its practical support to Kazakhstan across security, governance and economic and environmental dimensions, highlighting the need for impact, sustainability and alignment with OSCE commitments amid constrained resources. Thank you Chair and thank you, Ambassador, for your report. Thank you also to you and your team for your support and hospitality to my Ambassador during his recent visit to Astana, where he saw first-hand the work you are doing across all three dimensions of security. The UK supports this balanced approach in many of the areas noted in your report. I won’t list them all here, but they stretch from judicial reform, to the fight against human trafficking, to regional cooperation on environmental issues and water governance. The Office’s range of work reflects the OSCE’s comprehensive approach to security and evidently delivers tangible benefits for Kazakhstan and the wider region. Ambassador, the UK supports your Office’s practical assistance to Kazakhstan, including the work on borders, cybercrime, our shared Vienna Document commitments, and security sector reform. We also welcome the Office’s partnership with your hosts on democratic governance, human rights and the rule of law. We remain a strong supporter of your mandate. As with all field missions we encourage continued focus on impact, sustainability and close alignment with OSCE commitments, particularly in a constrained resource environment. We reiterate our thanks to the Swiss Chairpersonship for beginning the discussion about the future of field missions throughout the network. We look forward to further substantive discussions on this matter over the coming months. Thank you.