On 12 February 2026, H.E. Ambassador Andrea Bacher, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Republic of Kazakhstan and concurrently accredited to the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan, visited the OSCE Academy for the first time as part of her visit to Kyrgyzstan. She was warmly welcomed by Dr. Pal Dunay, Director of the OSCE Academy, Dr. Burulcha Sulaimanova, Head of the Research and Training Department, Dr. Sebastian Mayer, DAAD Associate Professor, and Ms. Victoria Orazova, Head of the International Department. Mr. Colin McCullough, Senior Planning and Co-Ordination Officer of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek also participated at the meeting.
As Ambassador Bacher represents Austria on the Board of Trustees of the OSCE Academy, the briefing primarily provided an update. Dr. Dunay gave an overview of the OSCE Academy’s situation, its achievements, and the current pending matters on the agenda. The Academy expressed its gratitude for the unceasing support of Austria to the OSCE Academy.
Ambassador Bacher underscored the significance of Austrian support for the OSCE Academy and emphasized that projects like the Academy should be preserved, especially during such turbulent times within the OSCE space. Ambassador Bacher also informed the hosts about the expectations of the political constituency in Austria to target assistance to those matters that the electorate perceives as priority. Considering the current international situation this certainly extends to the politico-military dimension of the OSCE, whereas it requires more effort to attract support in other dimensions and areas of activity.
The meeting was concluded with a tour around the building of the Academy
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