The
organization for security and co-operation in Europe, OSCE, is the world’s
largest security –oriented inter governmental organization. It has a membership
of 56 participating member countries and 11 co-operation partners. Established
in 1973, the organization has its secretariat in Vienna, Austria. The mandate of
the OSCE lovers areas such as anus control, human rights, freedom of the press,
and free and fair elections. The OSCE is an adhoc organization under the united
nations charter and is concerned with early warning, conflict prevention,
crisis management and post conflict rehabilitation. Is 56 participating states
are drawn from Europe, central Asia, the cancasus and north America covering
most of the western hemisphere. The OSCE was created during the cold war as an
east –west forum.
Structure and Institutions: political direction to the organization is
provided by the heads of state and governments during their summit. Summit are
not regular or scheduled but are held as and when needed. The last summit took
place in Istanbul in 1999. the highest level decision making body of the
organization is the ministerial council which meets at the end of every year.
At ambassadorial levels the permanent council weekly in Vienna and serves as
the regular negotiating and decision making body.
The
post of chair person in office is held by the foreign minister of the
participating state which holds the chairmanship at the time. The chairperson
of the permanent council is the ambassador to Austria which holds the
chairmanship. In addition to the ministerial council and the permanent council
the forum for security co-operation is also an OSCE decision making body. It
deals prominently with matters of military co-operation and other modalities
for inspection according to the Vienna dominant of 1999.
With
the secretarial in Vienna, the OSCE has offices in Copenhagen, Geneva, the
Hague, Prague and Warsons. The parliamentary assembly of the OSCE passes
resolutions on matters such as political and security affairs, economic and
environmental matters. As well as issues concerning democracy and human
rights. These resolutions represent the
collective voice of the OSCE parliamentarians are meant to ensure that all
participating states live up to
expectations and carryout in full
their commitments and obligations to the organization. The parliamentary
assembly also engage in parliamentary diplomacy and has an extensive election
observation programme.
The
oldest institution of the OSCE is the office for democratic institutions and
human rights (ODIHR) established in 1991. the decision to establish of the
ODIHR was based in morning and is active
throughout OSCE area in the fields of election observation, democratic
development, human rights, tolerance and non-discrimination, rule of law and
Roma sinti issues. The ODIHR ahs observed more than 150 elections and
referendums since 1995. it has deployed about 35,000 observers to carry out the
exercise. Several times, the ODIHR have operated outside its own mea even in
volatile spots. In October 2004, the OSCE sent a technical support team to
Afghanistan and in September sent a partnership for co-operation and election
support team to assist with parliamentary and provincial council election.
The
office of OSCE representative on freedom of the media was established in 1997.
This office acts as a watch dog on freedom of expression and related matters.
It provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression especially in
OSCE participating states. The representative also assists participating states
by advocating and promoting full compliance with OSCE norms, principles and
commitments regarding freedom of expression and free media.
Chairmanship/ leadership: the day to day running of the affairs of the OSCE is the
responsibility of the chairperson in office (410) this responsibility is
divided into:
a. Co-ordinating
the work of all OSCE institutions and ensuring that each institution compliment
the other in working harmoniously towards the achievement of the goals and
objectives of the organization.
b. Representing
the organization both within and outside OSCE territories. He is more or less
the symbol of the organization.
c. Supervising
activities related to conflict prevention, crises management and post conflict
rehabilitation.
The chairperson in office
(c10) rotates annually and is held by the foreign minister of the state
currently holding the chairmanship. The C10 is assisted by the previous c10 and
the incoming c10, and the three working together constitute the troika.
Relations
with the UN- the OSCE considers itself a regional organization in the sense of
chapter viii of the UN charter. It enjoys an observer states in the UN general
assembly. The chairperson in office gives routine briefings to the UN Security
Council. In so many ways, the goals and objectives of the OSCE agures with the
greater objectives of the UN particularly in the area of world peace, human
rights, democracy and general freedom. The OSCE and the UN therefore see each
other as partners in progress.
General OSCE Activities
Political
and military dimensions: the OSCE takes a comprehensive approach to the
politics- military dimension of security and related matters including a number
of commitments by participating states and mechanisms for conflict prevention
and resolution. The organization also seek to enhance security by promoting
greater openers avoid transparency in military matters and weapons issues, it
encourages co-operation not only among its members but with all peace loving
nations of the world. The OSCE try to encourage states to opt for peaceful
resolution of conflicts rather than war and aggressive behaviour.
Arms Control: the
end of he cold war created a situation of surplus amount of weapons
uncontrolled and available in what Is commonly known as the international grey
market for weapon the OSCE help to stop the illegal traffic of such weapons and
offers assistance towards the destruction of such weapons. The international
grey market which a variant of the black market enjoyed a boom following the
collapse of the Soviet Union in d1991.
the danger proved by the situation set the alarm bells ringing in many
countries and regions particularly the western democracies.
Border Management: The
OSCE takes stringent actions on border monitoring and control. This is
necessary to prevent snuggling of contraband and gun-ruining across the border.
It also checks the influent of illegal goods and commercials materials across
national boundaries.
Combating Terrorism: With
is erepertize in conflict prevention, crisis management and early warning
activities the OSCE contributes to would made efforts in combating
internationals terrorium and the use of terror by same states and organizations
as instruments of policy.
Conflict Prevention: The
OSCE works hard to prevent conflict situations and the use of war as choice of
policy. When conflict becomes inevitable, the organization works to facilitate
cessation f hostilities and helps create comprehensive political and diplomatic
settlements and new levels of relationship. It also helps with there
habilitation process in post- conflict areas.
Military Reforms: The
OSCE forum for security co-operation provides a frame work for political
dialogue on military reforms and strategic re-organization. Practical
activities are conducted by field operations as well as the conflict prevention
centre.
Policing: OSCE
police operations are an integral part of the organizations efforts in conflict
prevention and port-conflict rehabilitation.
OSCE works in Bosnia
Harzagovina: the OSCE was
a rather small organization with very limited scope and influence until 1996
when the international community selected is to provide electoral organization
in port-war Bosnia and Herzayovina. Ambassador Frowick was the first OSCE
representative to imitate national election in September 1996. he also created
the baric foundation for human rights observance and the rule of law
specifically designed to provide a foundation for judicial organization within
Bosnia and Herzagovina.
The
OSCE has regional offices and field officers, the OSCE essentially took the
place of the UN in Bosnia and Herzagovina in part became the Boznian leadership
felt a deep contempt for the lack hustre UN efforts to stop the war which
larted from 1991 to 1995, the feeling have was that the UN was neither decisive
nor firm in its management of the Bornian conflict such that while it stood by
agonizing over what action to take and how to go about providing a political
solution, genocide was going on unabated, this culminated in the death of
200,000 Bosnians and the displacement of over 1 million refuges, there
atrocities took place right under the noses of thousands of UN troops ported in
and around Bosnia and Herzagovina.
Economic and environmental issues: Activities in the economic and
environmental dimension include the monitoring of development related to
economic and environmental security in OSCE participating states, with the aim
of alerting them to any threat of conflict , assisting states in the creation
of economic and environmental policies, legislation and institutions to promote
security in the OSCE region. The OSCE has developed a range of activities in
the environmental sphere aimed at addressing ecological threats to security in
its participating states. Economic activities. Among the economic activities of
the OSCE feature initiatives aimed at promoting good governance, combating
corruption, money laundry, human trafficking and the financing of terronish
activities. Also included here are activities related to migration management,
transport and energy security in its participating states. All activities are
implemented in close co-operation with partner organizations such as UN
agencies, the Council of Europe, the World Bank and the OECD.
Human
dimensions the commitments made by OSCE participating states in the human
dimension angle aim at ensuring full respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms. This commitment compels states to abide by the rule of law and to
promote the principles of democracy by building. Strengthening and protecting democratic
institutions. It also impresses the used to promote tolerance throughout the
OSCE region.
Human Trafficking: Since
2003, the OSCE has had an established mechanism for combating human trafficking
as defined in the article of the Palermo protocol, which aimed at raising
public awareness of the problem and building he political will within member
states to tackle it effectively. The OSCE actions against human trafficking are
co-ordinated through the office of the special representative for combating
trafficking in human beings. Related functions of this office include
1. Co-operation
with governments, helping them to accept and act on their responsibility for
curbing human trafficking.
2. Providing
governments with decision and policy making aids and offering guidance on
anti-trafficking management, with the aim of arriving at solutions tailored to
the needs of the individuals countries in line with international standards.
3. Assisting
governments to develop the national anti-traffic structures required for
efficient internal and transactional co-operation.
4. Raising
awareness to draw attention to the complexity of the problem and to the need
for comprehensive solutions.
5. Considering
all dimensions of human trafficking for sexual exploitation, trafficking for
forced and bonded labour including domestic servitude, trafficking into forced
marriages, trafficking in organs and trafficking in children.
6. Ensuring
the effective interaction of all agents and stake holders involved in the fight
against human trafficking, raising form governmental authorities, law
enforcement officials to NGOS and other international organizations.
Democratization: The OSCE concern itself with the
promotion of democracy and assisting the participating states in building democratic
institutions. OSCE states also try to promote democracy outside its members
states by encouraging other states to imbibe democratic principles as a viable
means of political engagement. To this end, election monitoring and assistance
enjoy enormous OSCE attention. It carries out election assistance projects in
the run up ordinary elections.
Education:
Education programmes are an integral part of the organizations efforts
in conflict prevention and post-conflict rehabilitation. The OSCE believes that
adequate education and proper orientation is a standard panacea for conflict
resolution and management techniques.
Gender Equality: The equality of men and women is an
essential part of sustaining democracy and reasonable standard of living for
all people. The OSCE aims to provide equal opportunity for man and women and to
integrate gender equality in both policies and practices.
Human Right: The OSCE human rights activities focus on
such priority means such as freedom of movement, freedom of worship, conscience
and religion and the prevention of torture and human trafficking and other
activities that amount to human degradation.
Media Freedom: The OSCE observes relevant media
developments in its participating states with a view to addressing and providing
early warning in violations of freedom of expression.
Minority Rights: Ethnic conflicts is one of the main
sources of large scale violence in Europe and many parts of the world. The
OSCE’s approach is to identify and to seek early resolution of ethnic conflicts
and tension situations before it degenerates into armed conflict. The OSCE
tries to set standards for the rights of persons belonging to minority groups.
Criticisms of the OSCE: Respite the activities outlined above, the
OSCE has faced criticisms from many quarters over some of its activities or
lack of it some criticisms leveled against the OSCE are as follow:
1. It
has been accused by Russia and the US of being a tool of western states to
advance their own interest. During the orange revolution in Ukraine in 2004,
Russia accused the OSCE of involvement on the side of the west and taking
measures to ensure victory for the western candidate.
2.
The OSCE has been accused of promoting the foreign policy of the west in all
its activities. The idea that the OSCE has pursues a world wide interest has
been rejected by many especially those belonging to the eastern bloc.
3. Decision
making procedures are tailored to reflect the sentiments expressed above. When
matters affecting western interests are on board, there are no prevarications.
4. Its
decision making procedure is not democratic. Some states are more powerful and
more influential than others.