Finland chairs OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation

Finland chairs OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation

Finland has assumed the Chairpersonship of the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Finland's Chairpersonship officially began at an opening session in Vienna on 17 September.

A main priority of Finland's Chairpersonship is support for Ukraine. Finland will also highlight the importance of resilience and comprehensive security, the promotion of the Women, Peace and Security agenda, the strengthening of the OSCE's Code of Conduct on Politico-Military Aspects of Security and respect for the principles of the Helsinki Final Act.

There will be three thematic security dialogues during Finland's tenure, with discussions on comprehensive security and total defence, sexual and gender-based violence as a method of warfare, and the commitments to the Helsinki Final Act and their topicality in the current security environment.

In honour of the 25th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security, Finland will also hold an event that will look at these themes particularly from the perspective of the armed forces.

What is OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation?

The OSCE's Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) is one of the organisation's two permanent decision-making bodies. The FSC focuses on politico-military security issues and meets weekly in Vienna. It is mandated to deal with issues relating, among other things, to traditional arms control, to measures to increase confidence and security, to light weapons and small arms and to ammunition stockpiling.

Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has been extensively discussed at FSC meetings since February 2022.

The FSC Chairpersonship rotates through the OSCE participating States every four months.

In addition to its tenure as FSC Chair, Finland is holding the OSCE Chairpersonship in 2025.