On 23 May the OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger visited the OSCE Academy as part of his official visit to Kyrgyzstan. The Secretary General was accompanied by the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Ambassador Pierre von Arx, and by Ms. Kristin Höltge from the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre. The visit started with a short briefing by Academy Director Alexander Wolters about the Academy’s current affairs and plans for the future , followed by a lecture to students of both MA Programmes. Ambassador Greminger informed about the current work of the OSCE, the approaches chosen to address current global political developments as well as prospects for cooperation on the regional level, particularly in Central Asia. “In Central Asia new dynamics offer fantastic prospects for integration […] there is a renewed focus on developing better responses towards regional challenges,”- highlighted the Ambassador.
Following the lecture students had a chance to ask questions about the OSCE’s role in promoting security in Afghanistan; about projects to address local actors to contribute to the prevention of the escalation of conflicts; and about the outcomes of the Ambassador’s recent visit to Russia and the ‘recipe’ for a successful professional development.