Building a Vision for the Future: 2019 OSCE Focus Conference Framing Paper

Introduction: The State of the OSCE in 2019

In 2019, the OSCE continued to navigate through turbulent waters. Great power competition between the United States, Russia and China has led to a decline in the appreciation of multilateralism and cooperative solutions. The effect of a rising China on such formats has yet to be seen. Multilateralism has also come under pressure from within states that were once their advocates, notably the US. The OSCE as an organization based on consensus and compromise is greatly affected by these dynamics. Equally, the tense relationship between Russia and the West continues to have a negative impact on the organization and its capacities.

Read the full conference framing paper here: Building a Vision of the Future

This conference framing paper was prepared by Stephanie Liechtenstein, Web Editor-in-Chief, Security and Human Rights Monitor, in cooperation with the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich on the occasion of the 2019 OSCE Focus Conference in Geneva ‘Building a Vision for the Future’ Conference.