4 November 2021 The National Assembly delegation to the OSCE PA

4 November 2021 The National Assembly delegation to the OSCE PA

Thursday, 4 November 2021

NARS Delegation to OSCE PA Takes Part in OSCE PA Autumn Meeting

The National Assembly delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly took part in day two of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting held online on 4 November 2021.


The delegation consisted of the Head of the delegation Vesna Markovic and delegation members Dusica Stojkovic and Predrag Rajic.

Day two began with a meeting of the Mediterranean Forum which aims to enhance the Mediterranean dimension of the Assembly's work as European security is directly linked to stability and security in the Mediterranean region. Within the Mediterranean Forum, contacts are maintained with Mediterranean partner countries for cooperation and activities aimed at supporting relations between the Mediterranean area and the countries of the OSCE region.

The Mediterranean Forum was moderated by Pascal Allizard, OSCE PA Special Representative on Mediterranean Affairs. OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt welcomed the participants of the Mediterranean Forum, drawing their attention to the importance of multilatretalism and parliamentary diplomacy. The OSCE PA President was followed by Adam Halacinski, Chairperson of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation Group, who informed the participants about projects Fight against Organized Crime and Young Policy Advisers Course, implemented in some of the Mediterranean partner countries with OSCE financial assistance.

The speeches of the heads of delegations of the Mediterranean partner countries of Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and the Palestinian Legislative Council were followed by a debate.

The second part of the day was dedicated to the parliamentary conference on “Current Security Challenges: Focus on Afghanistan”, chaired by OSCE PA President Margareta Cederfelt. The participants were addressed by the chairs of the three OSCE PA general committees: Richard Hudson (US), Chair of the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security, Pere Joan Pons (Spain), Chair of the General Committee on Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and Environment and Sereine Mauborgne (France), Chair of the General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions.

Ambassador Tuula Yrjölä, Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre (CPC) and Deputy Head of the OSCE Secretariat, spoke about the security situation in Afghanistan, noting that the OSCE has to be part of the response, focusing on the added value that can be provided to that goal.

In the ensuing debate the participants exchanged views on current security challenges with a focus on Afghanistan. Dusica Stojkovic, member of the National Assembly delegation, addressed the gathering saying that the wave of migration flowing from Afghanistan would hit the countries bordering Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan the hardest, but it would also affect Europe. She said that out of 2 million Afghan refugees, there are currently 780,000 in Iran and 1.4 million in Pakistan, adding that there are more than 3 million internally displaced people in Afghanistan who need urgent help. The most critical situation is in the border areas with Pakistan, where the Taliban have practically had power for a long time, especially in rural areas.

Dusica Stojkovic said that, after the withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan, the situation in the field of security and human rights got worse and as such requires greater international activity. "Being a woman, a girl, a child under the rule of the Taliban is very difficult not only because of with security problems, but because of violations of basic human rights and freedoms, violence, abuse and the economic crisis that has hit the country as well," Stojkovic said.

"The money from international aid, accounting for 75% of the country's public spending, has “dried up”. Another major source of funding is remittances from Afghans living and working abroad which used to average at about 800 million USD a year before the Taliban took power. A currency crisis is also expected because an increasing number of Afghans are turning their currency into USD, which raises the prices of everyday necessities and lowers the value of the afghani, "said Dusica Stojkovic

At the end of the presentation, Dusica Stojkovic informed the participants that Serbia has signed the US State Department’s joint statement calling on all countries to respect and support the safe and organised departure of foreign citizens and Afghans who want to leave the country. The statement was signed by 120 countries.

"Finally, given the importance of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and its Ad Hoc Committee on Migration, there is no doubt that both in the case of the future of Afghanistan, as well as all the affected areas and regions, their active role is now needed more than ever," Dusica Stojkovic concluded.




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tuesday, 23 april
  • 10.00 - Voting Day on the only item on the agenda of the First Sitting of the First Regular Session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in 2024 (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square)

  • 14.00 - the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee meet with a delegation of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Committee (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, hall 2)

  • 14.45 - press conference of the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marina Ragus and the Chairman of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Committee Kimmo Kiljunen (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, Central Hall)

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