Washington, D.C.— The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the premier advocacy association for America’s broadcasters, and NAB Show, the preeminent global trade show driving the evolution of media and entertainment, are celebrating their centennial year in 2023 with activities, events and a commemorative website.

Washington, D.C. -- The new CineCentral destination at the 2023 NAB Show gives attendees an opportunity to learn side-by-side with Hollywood's award-winning production professionals and gain skills with hands-on training inspired by NAB’s Cine Consortium. CineCentral is located in Central Hall (C7345) and adjacent to the Create Experiential Zone featuring sessions on Cine+Live, the burgeoning live production style where cinematic tools and storytelling is integrated into live entertainment. Additional workshops will be presented by American Cinema Editors, American Society of Cinematographers, International Cinematographers Guild/Local 600 and The Society of Camera Operators.

Washington, D.C. -- NAB Show today announced that representatives from more than 160 countries outside the United States have registered to attend the 2023 NAB Show in Las Vegas, April 15-19. As part of its centennial celebration, the 2023 NAB Show aims to share the lasting memories and experiences from international visitors as they reflect on 100 years of innovation.

LAS VEGAS -- April 18, 2023 -- The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) announced today preliminary registered attendance of 65,013 for the 2023 NAB Show, the centennial celebration of the world's premiere convention for the broadcasting media, entertainment and technology industries.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will honor the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) with the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award at the 75th Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards on October 18, 2023, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Washington, D.C. - In a world where digital innovation is rapidly transforming traditional broadcast, media and entertainment industries, the creator economy has emerged as a driving force, reshaping the landscape and redefining how content is created, distributed and monetized. The Creator Lab is an exciting new addition to the 2024 NAB Show scheduled for April 13-17 (Exhibits April 14-17), at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This groundbreaking show floor experience includes interactive exhibits, expert panels, hands-on workshops and networking events that focus on creators, equipment, distribution channels and monetization techniques.

Transport / Logistic issues / Storage capacity issues

Manufacturing

Room 30, Parliament Buildings

Room 30, Parliament Buildings

Room 30, Parliament Buildings

Room 30, Parliament Buildings

Room 29, Parliament Buildings

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Infrastructure has today visited Belfast City Council where they heard from the Council, the Chamber of Commerce, Taxi Forum and the Roads Service.

The Assembly’s Committee for the Economy calls for the clear failures highlighted by the Audit Office report into the Non-Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme to be urgently addressed. The highly critical Audit Office report indicated that there could be considerable cost to the taxpayer following serious systematic failings in the Scheme.

ALMATY, 5 July 2016 – The annual OSCE Central Asian Youth Network (CAYN) forum and seminar began today in Almaty.

The three-day event was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana for some 35 university students and CAYN alumni from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. Representatives of the OSCE and expert speakers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Norway and the Russian Federation are also taking part.

The topic of this year’s forum “Renewing dialogue, rebuilding trust, restoring security” was selected to reflect the priorities of Germany’s 2016 OSCE Chairmanship. The participants will discuss the key challenges for comprehensive security in Central Asia and beyond, and explore ways to address them in their communities and together with co-operation from neighbouring countries. They will also address the issue of civil society’s role in promoting fundamental freedoms and human rights, and re-examine co-operation in Central Asia on its way to integration with a special emphasis on connectivity and multilateral co-operation.

“Through CAYN we hope that when you begin to take responsibility for your communities and your countries you can say with confidence that you have learned about key security challenges in the region,” said Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Astana György Szabó. “Moreover, you have heard perspectives from some of the best minds in the region and experts from around the world on how to address them.”

Renate Schimkoreit, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany to Almaty presented the priorities of the German OSCE Chairmanship. Pal Dunay, Director of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and Milena Stošić, Special Representative of the OSCE Chairmanship-in-Office on Youth and Security, will focus on engaging youth in promoting OSCE values and principles and in addressing security challenges and threats in the wider region. Special attention will be paid to youth involvement in the OSCE's 'United in Countering Violent Extremism' campaign.

The forum will be followed by training workshops focused on using technology for governance, civil society development, networking and data utilization. The event will culminate with an outdoor exercise to promote team building.

Nurlan Dulatbekov, a Member of Kazakhstan’s Parliament spoke about the role of promoting social security as part of national and regional security as well as initiatives to counter violent extremism through engaging youth at the grassroots level.

The event is part of the Office’s efforts to enhance young people’s understanding of contemporary security threats and challenges and to explain the OSCE’s role in addressing them.

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A week-long regional summer school on multilingual and multicultural education was held from 10 July to 16 July 2016 in Cholponata in Kyrgyzstan - the fifth regional summer school organized as part of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities’ (HCNM) Central Asia Education Programme.

Organized by the HCNM in co-operation with Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Education and Science, UNICEF and the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights in Kyrgyzstan, the summer school brought together 86 participants representing education institutions of the Central Asian States and of the wider region, including teacher trainers, methodological experts, university and pilot school managers and teachers, as well as international experts.

The summer school was aimed at providing practical expert support to further develop the capacity of education authorities and practitioners within multilingual and multicultural education.

Opening the summer school, Deputy Minister of Education of Kyrgyzstan Toktobubu Ashymbaeva highlighted the important role of the teacher in multilingual education programmes.

During the week, participants discussed pre-service and in-service teacher training, as well as facilitating the implementation of multilingual education programmes. Participants also developed training materials aimed at monitoring and evaluating multilingual and multicultural education programmes. As a result, eleven thematic materials were developed with the aim to further adapt them for practical use within the education institutions of the region.

Flera Saifulina, Head of the National Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation, found that the diverse forms of activities enabled participants to express their opinions, raise concerns and receive comprehensive answers from fellow experts. She also expressed satisfaction to see how education is used for the integration of societies in the Central Asian countries.

Tatiana Aderikhina, Co-ordinator of Education and Child Protection Issues at UNICEF Kazakhstan, said: “I am glad that the cooperation between HCNM and UNICEF Kyrgyzstan continues as it brings synergies and benefits the target country.”

Zaiyrbek Ergeshev, representative of the Department of the Ethnic and Religious Issues of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan, concluded that multilingual and multicultural education is an important factor for forming a civic identity.

Since 2012, the High Commissioner has been implementing the Central Asia Education Programme, aimed at promoting multilingual and multicultural education and developing bilateral and multilateral co‑operation in the region to improve the education of national minorities and promote the integration of society.

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BISHKEK, 18 March 2016 – Some 20 military personnel from the Northern Regional Command and the Southern Regional Command of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces completed an OSCE-supported one-week training-course on maintaining an electronic database system for the management, record-keeping and tracing of small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition.

Organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, the General Staff of Armed Forces and Kyrgyz State Committee on Defence Affairs, the course was held in a specialized computer classroom within the premises of the Military Institute of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces for which the OSCE Centre and the British Embassy provided equipment last year.

In 2014 the OSCE Centre in Bishkek signed five agreements with the Kyrgyz Defence Ministry as a part of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the OSCE on Small Arms and Light Weapons and a Stockpile of Conventional Ammunition Programme.

The event is part of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek’s Politico-Military Programme on strengthening the capacity of the Kyrgyz Republic toward the physical security and stockpile management of small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition. This project is being implemented by the OSCE Centre since February 2012. 

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BISHKEK, 31 March 2016 – A series of two consecutive one-week training courses co-organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek on the security and management of small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition concluded in Bishkek today.

The courses aimed at building awareness among armed forces personnel on new regulations and instructions approved by the Chief of the Kyrgyz General Staff on 12 February 2016 regarding the physical security, management, record-keeping, maintenance and disposal of small arms and light weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition. These documents were developed with the support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek in 2014-2015.

Some 48 military personnel from the Northern and Southern Regional Commands directly dealing with such weapons and stockpiles of conventional ammunition took part in the courses, which along with the OSCE Centre, were also co-organized with the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Kyrgyz State Committee on Defence Affairs.

Yury Padun, Senior Politico-military Officer at the OSCE Centre, said: “The training course provided officers of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces with the knowledge and practical skills required to meet international standards and OSCE recommendations in this area. The course will contribute to the safe and secure stockpiling of weapons and ammunition in Central Asia.”

Colonel Medetbek Sultanbekov, Head of the Rocket-Artillery Armament Division of the Kyrgyz State Committee on Defence Affairs, said: “Co-operation with the OSCE Centre in Bishkek has facilitated significant improvement to the legal framework in relation to small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition. It has also raised the professional level of Kyrgyz officers dealing with the stockpiling of weapons and ammunition.”

The event is part of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek’s Politico-Military Programme on strengthening the capacity of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces and is being implemented since February 2012. 

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VIENNA / WARSAW, 29 July2016 – To combat human trafficking,  a comprehensive, co-ordinated and victim-centred approach that includes creating opportunities for regular and safe migration, as well as protecting the human rights of migrants, is urgently needed by all state actors, civil society and multilateral organizations, said senior OSCE officials today ahead of World Anti-Trafficking Day on 30 July.

Multiple and complex security challenges such as armed conflict, the spread of violent extremism and radicalization leading to terrorism and climate change, have recently pushed millions of people into mass, mixed migration flows throughout the OSCE region, putting an increasing number of  them at risk of being trafficked.

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier emphasized that “effective and early identification of potential victims and the fight against the impunity of perpetrators need to be at the core of any resilient security governance strategy. This is particularly important within the context of mixed migration flows, which expose already vulnerable individuals to trafficking syndicates.”   

“Human trafficking is a grave violation of the human rights of its victims – human beings who are exploited, most often for profit,” said Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). “A victim-centred approach, placing the protection of all human rights at the heart of efforts to prevent and end trafficking, is essential if we are to ensure that anti-trafficking measures do not further threaten the safety, dignity and rights of those we are responsible to help and protect.”

OSCE Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings Madina Jarbussynova stressed that crisis situations are placing strenuous challenges on already vulnerable groups within and around the OSCE region. “As we join the efforts of the United Nations on this World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness and promote the protection of rights and dignity of all, any protective measures should first and foremost be conducted in the best interest of potential victims, especially amongst irregular migrants, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons and unaccompanied minors.” Focusing on the complex nexus between trafficking and conflict situations, Ambassador Jarbussynova will on Monday start a week-long official visit to Ukraine to raise awareness of human trafficking threats.  

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BISHKEK, 30 July 2016 – To mark today’s World Day against Trafficking in Persons, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek supported a public awareness-raising campaign and held a public discussion with academic representatives in Bishkek and Osh.

On 29 July, in co-operation with the State Service on Migration, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and local partners, the OSCE Centre raised public awareness about the risks of human trafficking in Bishkek and Osh.

Information material such as pocket calendars with the hotline number and contact information of the Kyrgyz Embassies in the five top migrant destination countries were distributed among the public. Illustrated silhouettes of people, symbolizing victims of trafficking, were displayed on posters in public places with stories in the Russian and Kyrgyz languages narrating their experience of human trafficking.

“Public awareness campaigns play an important role in the prevention of trafficking in human beings,” said William Leaf, OSCE Senior Field Representative in Osh. “The OSCE works to assist the government in improving its education and outreach efforts at the local and central levels in line with its commitments to prevent and combat all forms of human trafficking.”

In addition to the awareness-rising campaign, today the representatives of five local universities in Osh participated in a roundtable discussion organized by the OSCE Centre in co-operation with the Centre for Support of International Protection. The discussion focused on the ways of promoting inter-disciplinary research efforts among students and professors on the scope, tendencies and root causes of human trafficking in southern Kyrgyzstan.  

“As trafficking in human beings is a complex phenomenon, it requires a multi-disciplinary approach, covering, among others, socio-economic, legal, migration, human rights, gender and law enforcement aspects,” said Akylbek Tashbulatov, Director of the Centre for the Support of International Protection. “The academic community have the necessary research potential and tools to positively contribute to the development of such an assessment.”

The events were organized as part of the OSCE Centre’s project on addressing human trafficking in Kyrgyzstan through grassroots initiatives and multi-agency cooperation.

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The OSCE Programme Office in Astana will support the seventh annual training seminar under the Central Asian Leadership Programme on environmental governance. Some 40 young environmental leaders from Central Asia and Afghanistan will discuss the ways to reinforce regional cooperation on water governance, the rational use of water resources, the climate change implications for the Central Asia and Afghanistan and sustainable energy management. The participants will be engaged in a comprehensive assessment of the issues related to sustainable development in the context of global challenges across the Central Asian region and beyond and ways to promote the regional cooperation and networking among the emerging like-minded leaders.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s multi-year activities to enhance the role of young leaders in the environmental decision-making and promote the green economy principles in the regional and national frameworks.

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30 female local council candidates from Batken and Osh regions will participate in a training course on methods, procedures and legislation held in the framework of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek-supported Women Leadership School, organized by the United Nations Women Programme and Women Support Centre.

The event aims to promote capacity building, raising awareness of women in elections and provide them with legal and mentorship support. The training will be focused on the election system and legislation, women leadership, strategic planning, political pre-election platforms, campaigning, analytical reports and other issues.

The local council elections are planned for this coming fall.

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Staff of the National Centre of the Kyrgyz Republic for the Prevention of Torture, with support of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek will conduct monitoring visits to the detention facilities in Isyk-Kul, Naryn and Talas provinces between 10 and 17 August. These visits aim at monitoring detention conditions and human rights situation in the closed facilities.

The monitoring findings will be included in the 2016 Annual Report of the National Centre for the Prevention of Torture.

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The OSCE Center in Bishkek and the Training Centre for Prosecutors under the General Prosecutor’s Office will conduct a training course for twenty-four public prosecution officers from all provinces of Kyrgyzstan on effective investigation of cases of torture.

The training aims at enhancing theoretical and empirical knowledge of prosecution officers about the specifics of efficient investigation of torture allegations.

The participants will discuss the key challenges arising during investigation of torture allegations and exchange best practices applied within their respective duty stations to address these challenges. 

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The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) joined with other global and regional intergovernmental human rights organizations and experts in issuing a statement condemning the recent evictions of Roma and Sinti, as well as Travellers, in Europe, on 29 June 2016.

Signatories call on national, regional and, in particular, local authorities to find sustainable solutions to the housing problems that many Roma and Sinti face, while condemning forced evictions without due process and provisions of adequate alternative housing. The statement reminds participating States that such evictions violate international human rights obligations and authorities must ensure that everyone subject to eviction is adequately informed of their rights and necessary evictions must be carried out without discrimination or harassment.

The statement highlights the long-term negative implications of eviction that can result in physical and psychological problems, including emotional trauma and lasting social isolation, which particularly affects older people, women, children and people with disabilities.

ODIHR had previously reminded the OSCE participating States that evictions of Roma and Sinti must comply with international standards and provide for adequate housing for those evicted. Furthermore, greater efforts are needed to promote sustainable and non-discriminatory housing solutions. The OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti from 2003 additionally calls for mechanisms and procedures to clarify property rights, resolve questions of ownership and regularize the legal status of Roma and Sinti people living in circumstances of unsettled legality.

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BISHKEK, 22 June 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek supported a two-day Internet Governance Forum in Central Asia, the first of its kind, which concluded today in the Kyrgyz capital.

Some 100 specialists in the field of internet governance and development, including representatives of the Central Asian state authorities, telecommunication experts, internet service providers, research institutions, and non-governmental organizations from Europe and Central Asia, discussed issues related to cyber security and regulations, the development of the Domain Name System (DNS) industry, as well as global and national approaches to accessing the internet.

“Kyrgyzstan ceased to be a ‘dead-end’ country in terms of the Internet in 2015 and has opened connections to countries in South-East and South Asia,” said Ernis Mamyrkanov, Kyrgyz Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication. “This enhances the role of Kyrgyzstan in the issue of regional transit. Now we need a platform where all participants can discuss relevant issues and this Forum is intended to take that place.”

Daniele Rumolo, acting Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said that governments have a role to play when it comes to regulating the Internet. “This responsibility extends to the protection from harmful content, and fighting cybercrime. However, governments must ensure that all stakeholders, including civil society, business actors, and internet-users, are consulted and continuously involved in these efforts.”

The Forum was co-organized by the Ministry of Transportation and Communication and the Civil Initiative on Internet Policy Public Foundation, supported by the SecDev Foundation (Canada), Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the Internet Society, the United Nations Development Programme in Kyrgyzstan and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

The Forum is part of the OSCE Centre’s project on promoting national dialogue and capacity building on the information security needs of the Kyrgyz Republic. 

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As part of a one-year project to support the engagement of national minority youth and civil society in public discussions and public service, a roundtable discussion was held at the OSCE Mission to Moldova on 24 June 2016.

The event brought together 23 representatives of the Moldovan Parliament, the authorities of Gagauz-Yeri, civil society and the international community to discuss institutional dialogue between central and Gagauz authorities.

Independent researchers from the Comrat-based NGO Piligrim-Demo presented a recent report detailing the joint commissions formed over the years to initiate dialogue on the implementation of Gagauzia’s status as an Autonomous Territorial Unit. They outlined their recommendations for improving the functioning of the current working group established between the Parliament of Moldova and the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. 

“Such discussions on the process of dialogue between civil society, the expert community and members of the Parliament and People's Assembly are important as they provide critical input to the process and build common understanding of issues,” said Jale Sultanli, Country Manager Moldova of the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI). Participants from Comrat and Chisinau welcomed the opportunity to study past and present practices to strengthen co-operation between the central and regional authorities in Moldova.

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As part of a one-year project to support the engagement of national minority youth and civil society in public discussions and public service, a roundtable discussion was held at the OSCE Mission to Moldova on 24 June 2016.

The event brought together 23 representatives of the Moldovan Parliament, the authorities of Gagauz-Yeri, civil society and the international community to discuss institutional dialogue between central and Gagauz authorities.

Independent researchers from the Comrat-based NGO Piligrim-Demo presented a recent report detailing the joint commissions formed over the years to initiate dialogue on the implementation of Gagauzia’s status as an Autonomous Territorial Unit. They outlined their recommendations for improving the functioning of the current working group established between the Parliament of Moldova and the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. 

“Such discussions on the process of dialogue between civil society, the expert community and members of the Parliament and People's Assembly are important as they provide critical input to the process and build common understanding of issues,” said Jale Sultanli, Country Manager Moldova of the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI). Participants from Comrat and Chisinau welcomed the opportunity to study past and present practices to strengthen co-operation between the central and regional authorities in Moldova.

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TASHKENT, 29 July 2016 - A central area of Tashkent is to be lit by 20 autonomous street light systems fully powered by solar energy as part of a pilot project officially launched today by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan.

The Co-ordinator is supporting the host country in the area of green economy policies, including the analysis of costs and benefits in using environmentally-friendly and sustainable systems in street lighting and urban planning.

Senior Project Officer at the OSCE Project Co-ordinator Hans-Ullrich Ihm said that urban street lighting powered by solar energy is one of many possibilities that contribute to preserving our environment by reducing the consumption of fossil fuel and emissions. He added that the Project Co-ordinator strives to support the government in implementing policies advocating for such technologies.

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BISHKEK, 28 July 2016 – A two-day training conducted by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek for 14 defence lawyers and 12 officers from the Prosecutor’s office on the right to liberty and freedom from arbitrary arrest or detention, ended today in the Kyrgyz capital.

The workshop focused on the international framework for measures of restraint, as well as the internationally recognized constitutional right to institute proceedings in cases of violations.

The detention of minors, persons with disabilities, women with children, or defendants in need of continued medical treatment and hospitalization were among the topics discussed, and participants learned more about their specific concerns to ensure that the restraint measures taken comply with human rights standards.

“The right to liberty is a basic fundamental right, protected by international human rights law and enshrined in the Kyrgyz Constitution,” said Anete Erdmane, acting Senior Human Dimension Officer at the OSCE Centre. “To ensure that restrictions on liberty are applied in compliance with the law and that other human rights are not violated as a result of the deprivation of liberty, it is important that prosecutors and lawyers are aware of the relevant standards and obligations. In line with its mandate, the OSCE Centre works to improve the administration of justice and strengthen the rule of law in Kyrgyzstan.”

The course was delivered by Ulugbek Azimov, a well-known national expert in the field, while  Sergey Poduzov, an international human rights law expert from Russia, also led a training session.

The training course is part of the OSCE Centre’s project on promoting a comprehensive approach to the rule of law, administration of justice, prevention of torture, and capacity building. 

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Some 20 newly-recruited personnel of the Atlantis rehabilitation centre took part in a two-week capacity building training course, conducted in the premises of the penal colony in the village of Novopokrovka, which concluded on 10 June. The event was organized by the Kyrgyz State Service for Execution of Punishment (SSEP) and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.

OSCE-supported international trainers and specialists on therapeutic work with drug- and alcohol-addicted prisoners presented the Minnesotan treatment model, which is recognized as a global best practice among psychotherapeutic programmes for treatment of people with such problems, and organized practical sessions on the development of therapeutic skills.

“Specific professional training is critical to enable the staff of the penitentiary service to carry out their work in full safety,” said Daniele Rumolo, Senior Human Dimension Officer at the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Providing them with the necessary skills to effectively deal with specific categories of prisoners is also crucial to prevent criminal activities inside the prisons and enhance the respect of the rule of law.”

The course is part of an OSCE project on supporting the implementation of the National Strategy on the Development of Penitentiary System “Umut-2”. The project addresses the human rights situation and safety in penitentiary establishments through capacity building activities for prison staff.

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BISHKEK, 28 June 2016 – The OSCE’s role and activities in Security Sector Governance and Reform in Central Asia, and the challenges and opportunities in the field, are the focus of a three-day regional seminar hosted by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, which began today in the Kyrgyz capital.

Taking part are some 50 representatives of OSCE field operations in Central Asia and regional partners, government officials from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as well as civil society and academia. As well as providing a platform for regional networking among national and international partners, the discussion will explore challenges within police reform, border management and security, counter-terrorism, anti-corruption, justice sector reform among others.

“By reviewing the government’s budget and reports on its execution, adopting laws, establishing a working group to monitor enforcement of the laws and parliamentary decisions, we can make the reforms possible,” said Ainuru Altybaeva,  Kyrgyz member of parliament and member of the parliamentary Committee for International Relations, Defence and Security.

Security Sector Governance and Reform is increasingly recognized by OSCE participating States as an essential element in conflict prevention, early warning, crisis management and peace-building.

Daniele Rumolo, Acting Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek, said: “Effective security sector reform processes have to be carried out in full consultation with all affected sides, including civil society and independent experts, as well as with the support of international organizations. The new OSCE guidelines on Security Sector Governance and Reform are designed to lead us and all other stakeholders and partners, in upholding these principles.”

Professor Erica Marat of the National Defense University in Washington D.C. said that while there are challenges for reform processes in the region, there are also tremendous opportunities which can be supported by a well-educated population, empowered women, ethnic and religious diversity, and a vibrant civil society.

The regional seminar is part of an extra-budgetary project that aims to support, build capacity and raise awareness on Security Sector Governance and Reform within the OSCE. The project is supported by Germany’s 2016 OSCE Chairmanship, as well as Switzerland, Slovakia, Serbia and Austria. A similar regional event is planned for later this year in South-East Europe. 

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BISHKEK, 19 July 2016 – The OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the State Committee on National Security (SCNS) signed a long-term agreement with the aim of increasing co-operation to support the country's security sector.

The signing of this agreement will expand and boost co-operation between the OSCE and the Kyrgyz government in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. It will also contribute to promoting joint efforts in combating internal and external threats with the aim of protecting peace and stability in the country and the region.

“In recent years, due to the increasing threat of terrorism in the world and particularly in Central Asia, close co-operation between the OSCE and the SCNS in countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism is becoming an urgent task,” said Sergey Kapinos, Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek. “Signing of a long-term cooperation agreement is an important step towards addressing this issue. The OSCE Centre highly values co-operation with the SCNS, and expresses its great appreciation for collaboration and willingness to continue active co-operation in countering terrorist threats."

Deputy Chairperson of the SCNS and Director of Anti-terrorism Centre (ATC) of the SCNS Rustam Mamasadykov highlighted the OSCE Centre’s significant contribution to the development and strengthening of democratic institutions, the rule of law, and its efforts to enhance the capacity of state authorities in effectively preventing and responding to terrorism and extremism.

“Co-operation between SCNS and the OSCE Centre in Bishkek has resulted in significant counter-terrorism capacity building and the strengthening of the national security agencies and other relevant state agencies in responding to terrorist attacks,” said Mamasadykov.

The OSCE Centre in Bishkek is also supporting the SCNS and the Kyrgyz government to carry out comprehensive security sector reform and in ensuring the implementation of the provisions of international treaties, UN Security Council resolutions, and OSCE decisions in the areas of defence, security and counter-terrorism.

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