Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 irreversible transformation when Russia launched Foreword its war of aggression against Ukraine, in violation of In 1975, the Helsinki Principles were adopted at international law and the Helsinki Principles. the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Some might think that Russia’s actions rendered Europe (CSCE). These principles aimed to end wars the Helsinki Final Act meaningless. However, the in Europe, solidify the borders of European states opposite has happened. People in Europe now and promote respect for human rights. The Helsinki understand the importance of freedom even more Final Act was revolutionary at a time when the Cold clearly than before. As the OSCE Chair, we must hold War and the Iron Curtain divided Europe in two, and the torch of hope high, despite efforts by Russia and ideological confrontation was at its peak. others to extinguish its flame. Consensus was reached as the Helsinki Principles Our task as Chair is to ensure that our shared represent the essence of humanity: the longing for principles are not merely memories of the past freedom, co-operation, and peace. According to but continue to live and guide us through these Minister Jaakko Iloniemi, the goal had merely been difficult times. The people of the participating States to slightly open the Iron Curtain; no one seriously deserve to live in freedom, peace and safety, working thought about tearing it down. Yet, that is exactly together to build Europe’s future. what happened, and the spark of hope ignited in people by the CSCE contributed to this achievement. If the Helsinki Principles did not already exist, they would need to be written now. In November 2021, participating States decided that Finland will Chair the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2025. Just Elina Valtonen three months later, Europe’s security faced an Minister for Foreign Affairs
Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 2 Photo: UPI / Lehtikuva
US President Gerald Ford signing the CSCE document at the Finlandia House in Helsinki in August 1975.
Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 Helsinki Principles The Helsinki Final Act was a turning point for European security. As a result, 35 states – including 1. Sovereign equality those on the opposing sides of the Cold War – committed to following shared principles that laid the 2. Refraining from the threat or use of force foundation for the European security architecture. These principles gave rise to the idea of the spirit of 3. Inviolability of frontiers Helsinki: a belief that European states can resolve 4. Territorial integrity of States their differences through diplomacy, not through wars. 5. Peaceful settlement of disputes In 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine undermined the European security order. Russia violated the 6. Non-intervention in internal Helsinki Principles: inviolability of frontiers, territorial affairs integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes, and other 7. Respect for human rights and key values. fundamental freedoms
When a state challenges the foundations of our 8. Equal rights and self- common security, we must rise to defend them even determination of peoples more vigorously. 9. Cooperation among States Right now, the Helsinki Principles are more important 10. Fulfilment in good faith of than ever. They are a reminder of what we can achieve obligations under international through cooperation and trust – and what is at stake law if we fail to defend them. Now, more than ever, these principles need their defenders.
3 Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 for cooperation between states in the OSCE region. Resilient Together Based on a comprehensive approach to security, it The principles and commitments of the Organization created a process for addressing questions within for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) the politico-military, economic and environmental, promote people’s opportunities to live in freedom and human dimensions. Fifteen years later, the in democratic states governed by the rule of law. A Paris Charter institutionalised the OSCE’s work to stable and resilient society recognises plurality and promote human rights, democracy and the rule extensive rights of participation. of law, and to prevent conflicts. Since then, the participating States have jointly and by consensus As OSCE Chair, Finland will focus on ways for the agreed on further commitments to strengthen participating States to strengthen their resilience. European security. The security situation in Europe has not been this unpredictable or unstable since WWII. Supporting Europe is now faced with an unprecedented need Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and to defend this jointly agreed security order. As the
independence is at the heart of the OSCE’s work. Helsinki Final Act turns 50, Finland continues to systematically underline the Act’s principles, which Finland will also prioritise gender equality and the have been in place since 1975. Russia’s blatant functioning of a free civil society, and work towards violation of them has only served to emphasise how improving opportunities of young people and important the principles are to the participating persons with disabilities to participate in the OSCE’s States and to the global security order. work. In the Helsinki Final Act, the participating States Cooperation is at heart of states’ ability to respond made commitments relating to not only their to crises and recover from them. In today’s world, behaviour towards each other, but also towards where threats and risks usually have cross-border their citizens. In many countries, the Final Act implications, the public authorities need to both encouraged interest in civic activism and began work together and forge partnerships with local to open up opportunities for it. By facilitating the stakeholders, the private sector, and other actors to realisation of human rights, the Final Act played an build safe and secure societies. important part in Europe’s democratisation.
Finland has built the programme for its Civil society actors, including human rights
Chairpersonship on three guiding principles: (1) defenders, work tirelessly to advance human rights, democracy and the rule of law. During Respect the OSCE principles and commitments, (2) its Chairpersonship, Finland will promote their Respond to today’s challenges, and (3) Prepare the opportunities to take action. OSCE for the future. Finland calls attention to the importance of the Respect the Principles work that the OSCE’s autonomous institutions – OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and The global security order is based on international Human Rights (ODIHR), High Commissioner on law, the UN Charter and multilateralism. The OSCE’s National Minorities (HCNM) and Representative commitments, such as the Helsinki Final Act (1975) on Freedom of the Media (RFoM) – carry out to and the Paris Charter (1990), support and strengthen implement the OSCE principles and commitments. this order in the OSCE region. Finland strongly supports the independent role of The Helsinki Final Act laid down the ground rules these institutions.
Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 4 the war. The OSCE’s Support Programme for Ukraine (SPU) is important for meeting Ukraine’s needs.
Finland will strengthen the Organization’s work throughout the OSCE region on the basis of jointly agreed principles, especially in areas where the OSCE can generate added value. The OSCE’s Field Operations provide invaluable support to the participating States in Central Asia, Moldova and the Western Balkans. The OSCE also works to support peaceful relations in the South Caucasus. The Special Representatives appointed by the Chairperson-in- Photo: Adobe Stock Office will offer their contribution in areas such as conflict resolution.
To respond to the changed security situation Respond Today in Europe, Finland will underline all aspects of Ukraine is fighting to defend not only its independence comprehensive security, including preparedness for and peaceful future, but also the jointly agreed and response to malign activities. Finland promotes security order based on international law. Finland will the OSCE’s work in cybersecurity and emphasises keep support for Ukraine at the heart of the OSCE’s citizens’ media literacy and freedom of the media in work, as have the previous Chairpersonships. the fight against disinformation.
The OSCE participating States have widely Climate change is testing the resilience of the condemned Russia’s actions, which violate both participating States. Drawing on the decision of international law and the OSCE principles. The the 2021 Ministerial Council in Stockholm, Finland OSCE plays an important role in ensuring Russia’s will intensify the efforts to respond to the security accountability. For example, the Moscow Mechanism threats caused by climate change. Finland aims to is employed to investigate human rights violations strengthen the resilience of the participating States committed by Russia, and OSCE projects collect and respond to their climate security needs in areas information on the environmental damage caused by where the OSCE’s work brings added value.
For the last trimester of 2025, Finland will chair the Forum for Security Cooperation (FSC), which deals with questions of military security. The focus on promoting resilience and the comprehensive approach to security will also guide Finland’s term as the FSC chair. Other priorities on Finland’s FSC agenda include Women, Peace and Security, commitments under the Helsinki Final Act, and the Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security.
5 Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 Prepare for the Future The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, participating States, the Secretariat and autonomous institutions have at their disposal a broad range of tools, shaped over several decades, to build trust and to prevent and resolve crises. In addition to the Chairperson-in- Office’s Special Representatives, the tools include Despite the current state of affairs, Finland finds it for instance human rights reports, missions tasked crucial that the OSCE’s operational capacity and role with fact-finding or ceasefire monitoring, dialogue as a forum for political dialogue is safeguarded. and cooperation mechanisms for conflict prevention, The OSCE’s extensive geographical coverage and and arms control measures. The OSCE’s tools aim comprehensive concept of security make it a unique to reduce tensions that may lead to conflicts, and security organisation. Ensuring a well-functioning increase trust between the parties. OSCE is the joint responsibility of all participating Finland intends to increase awareness of the States. OSCE’s tools and their usability. Finland emphasises To support the OSCE’s work, the Chairpersonship the importance of dialogue and mediation in intends to establish a Helsinki+50 fund together with comprehensive conflict management, from conflict interested participating States and the Secretariat. prevention to post-conflict reconstruction, and seeks The purpose of Helsinki+50 is to improve the to improve cooperation with other stakeholders in channelling and use of voluntary funding for the work this area. carried out in accordance with OSCE principles and The OSCE’s work related to arms control, including commitments, and to improve interaction between military confidence and security building measures, donors and beneficiaries. The fund’s objective is plays a key role in the European security order. also to strengthen civil society. It will not replace the Maintaining existing arrangements and competences Organization’s budget, but supplements it. will enable future work in this field. To bolster the OSCE’s operational capacity, it is also Finland’s objective is to strengthen the Organization’s important to look into existing practices and enhance operational capacity. However, Finland is taking over the Organization’s administrative processes. Finland the Chairpersonship at a time when the prospects for has initiated action to achieve this as the chair of the negotiating new political commitments are limited. Advisory Committee on Management and Finance The Organization’s budget was last adopted in 2021. (ACMF).
Human rights, democracy and the rule of law lay the foundations for stable societies. In this, the OSCE autonomous institutions play a key role. As OSCE Chair, Finland will call attention to these principles and underline the OSCE’s work to develop electoral processes and observe elections in the participating States.
Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025 6 Summary Finland’s programme for the Chairpersonship sets out the framework and objectives for the OSCE’s work in 2025. The main theme of Finland’s Chairpersonship will be resilience. The programme will be based on three guiding principles: (1) Respect the OSCE principles and commitments, (2) Respond to today’s challenges, and (3) Prepare the OSCE for the future.
Finland will serve as a constructive Chair, striving to engage in an open dialogue with all participating States and Partners for Co-operation. Finland will work with all countries that respect the OSCE principles. Photo: OSCE/Thomas Rymer
Developing partnerships The OSCE carries out well-established and active collaboration with the Mediterranean and Asian Chairpersonship Partners for Co-operation. The Partners for Co- events 2025 operation have a great deal of expertise to share and an interest in the OSCE, cooperative security and the Conference on Organization’s comprehensive concept of security. Addressing Anti-Semitism The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is an important 10–11 February part of the OSCE community. It supports and complements intergovernmental cooperation by Gender Equality Conference monitoring compliance with and implementation 6–7 May of the OSCE principles and commitments and by Climate Conference discussing topical subjects in the OSCE’s area. 11 June The OSCE is a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the UN Charter. Finland will create links between Youth Forum the recently adopted UN Pact for the Future and the 29–30 July OSCE’s activities, and promote the implementation Helsinki+50 Event of the UN Security Council resolutions on Women, 31 July – 1 August Peace and Security and Youth, Peace and Security. Cybersecurity Conference In addition to the UN, key partners include the 1–2 October EU, NATO and the Council of Europe, and other international and regional organisations on a case- by-case basis.
7 Finland’s Programme for OSCE Chairpersonship 2025