Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Overview
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is an international organization that focuses on a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, promotion of human rights, freedom of the press, and fair elections. It employs over 3,500 people, mostly in its field operations but also in its secretariat in Vienna, Austria, and its institutions. It has 57 participating States from Europe, North America, and Asia.
History
The OSCE traces its origins to the détente phase of the early 1970s, when the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) was created to serve as a multilateral forum for dialogue and negotiation between East and West. Meeting over two years in Helsinki and Geneva, the CSCE reached agreement on the Helsinki Final Act, which was signed on 1 August 1975. This comprehensive set of principles guided relations between the East and West and had a lasting impact on the political landscape of Europe.
Structure
The OSCE has a hierarchical structure, with the highest authority being the Summit meeting of Heads of State or Government. The next level of authority is the Ministerial Council, which is composed of the Foreign Ministers of the participating States. The Permanent Council, composed of the Ambassadors from the participating States, meets weekly in Vienna and serves as the regular negotiating and decision-making body. The Forum for Security Co-operation, also composed of Ambassadors, deals with specific areas of security policy.
Activities
The OSCE conducts a wide range of activities in the fields of early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation. The organization uses a comprehensive approach to security that encompasses politico-military, economic and environmental, and human aspects. It therefore addresses a wide range of security-related concerns, including arms control, confidence- and security-building measures, human rights, national minorities, democratization, policing strategies, counter-terrorism, economic and environmental activities.
Criticisms and Controversies
Despite its many achievements, the OSCE has also faced criticism. Some participating States have accused the organization of having a double standard, with the West using the OSCE as a tool to promote its values and interests at the expense of others. Others have criticized the organization for its consensus decision-making process, which they argue gives a veto to every participating State and thus hampers the organization's ability to take action.