The last meeting of the Forum for Cooperation in the Security Sector (FSC) under the Chairmanship of Cyprus took place in the presence of the Director-General of the Defence Ministry of the Republic, Mr. Andreas P. Loukas.

In his statement, the Director-General underlined Cyprus’ firm commitment to international law and the rule of law, which cannot be replaced by the use of force.

This also applies to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which not only has devastating consequences for Ukraine and its people, but also affects security and stability throughout the region.

As OSCE Chairmanship, Cyprus organized four (4) Security Dialogues on issues related to the mandate of the FSC, which were welcomed by the vast majority of participating states:

• Humanitarian Mine Action with a focus on victim assistance;
• Human Security in Armed Conflict with a Focus on Gender-Based Violence;
• Security and Environment;
• “Women, Peace and Security” and the integration of the gender perspective in the fulfillment of OSCE’s politico-military commitments and activities.

Numerous prominent keynote speakers participated in the dialogues, such as the US Deputy Secretary of Defence for International Security, Mrs. Celleste Wallander, the Ministers of Environment of Cyprus and Malta, Mrs. Maria Panagiotou and Miriam Dalli, as well as the Cyprus Commissioner for Gender Equality, Mrs. Jozy Christodoulou.

Their participation was preceded by that of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Constantinos Kombos, who gave a speech during the opening session of the Forum under the Cyprus Chairmanship in January 2024.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Andreas P. Loukas referred to OSCE as the most important regional platform for dialogue and cooperation, which was created to prevent armed conflicts and build partnerships. The Director-General also underlined the importance of safeguarding multilateralism and the values ​​on which a rules-based international order is founded.

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