Foreign Minister Valtonen to outline preliminary priorities of Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship in Vienna

Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs Elina Valtonen will visit Vienna on 19 September. She will outline the preliminary priorities of the incoming Finnish OSCE Chairpersonship to the organisation’s Permanent Council, which has representatives from the 57 participating States and 11 Partners of Cooperation.

Finland will hold the Chairpersonship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2025, during which time the Minister for Foreign Affairs will have political responsibility for the organisation’s activities. The Chairperson-in-Office directs the OSCE’s political work, represents the organisation and guides and supervises the organisation’s institutions and crisis management activities. The programme of the Finnish chairpersonship will be published in January 2025. 

“During its Chairpersonship, Finland will emphasise the principles and commitments of the OSCE. Although they have been blatantly violated by Russia, they remain in force and from the foundation of the European security order. We can support Ukraine and other countries in our neighbouring areas through the OSCE’s institutions and tools. That is why strengthening the organisation’s operational capacity is important to us,” says Minister for Foreign Affairs Valtonen.

Foreign Minister Valtonen’s address outlining the preliminary priorities of Finland’s OSCE Chairpersonship will be live-streamed on the OSCE website. The live stream will start around 16.00 Finnish time.

During her visit, Foreign Minister Valtonen will meet representatives of the current Maltese Chairpersonship and other partners. She will also meet representatives of the international media. 

The OSCE’s 57 participating States comprise all European and Central Asian countries and the United States and Canada. The activities of the OSCE are based on the Helsinki Final Act, signed in 1975.