VIENNA, March 19 (Reuters) – The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a 57-nation east-west body comprising former Cold War foes, agreed on a budget on Thursday for the first time in five years, with heavy cuts demanded by the United States.
In recent years the Vienna-based security and rights organization, which includes Canada, Russia and much of Europe and Central Asia, has often been deadlocked over a new budget and other important decisions, as Moscow accused it of having been taken over by the West.
Last year, the United States threatened to pull out of the organisation while demanding that its budget be cut by more than 10% and that the OSCE “revert to its core functions”. The U.S. criticised some of its best-known work, including election monitoring in nations where votes are not fully free or fair.
“The budget will preserve the Organization’s operational effectiveness, while recognising the need for reforms to ensure sustainable financing and long-term impact,” the OSCE said in a statement after the budget was approved unanimously at a meeting of all participating states.
While the OSCE did not say how much had been cut from the budget, diplomats said it was cut by 15 million euros ($17 million) or around 10% of the 2021 budget, which had since been effectively rolled over with a freeze on the amount.
“A reduction in the overall financial envelope will inevitably affect staffing levels across all executive structures. Of approximately 2,000 staff members, more than 100 will have to leave the Organization they have served with distinction,” the OSCE statement said.
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, whose country holds the OSCE’s annually rotating chairmanship, added: “It confirms that, even in times of heightened tensions, the OSCE remains a platform where dialogue delivers — and where collective decisions strengthen our ability to act.”
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(Reporting by Francois Murphy; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
