OSCE PA to focus on combating transnational crime and corruption

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Nineteenth Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, with the theme “Rule of Law: Combating Transnational Crime and Corruption,” will take place July 6-10 in Oslo, hosted by the Parliament of Norway – Stortinget.

Upwards of 300 parliamentarians from the 56 OSCE participating States are expected to participate in the Session.

Over four days of deliberations, the Assembly’s three General Committees will consider resolutions dealing with various dimensions of the Session’s theme, as well as 35 supplementary items covering topics such as climate change, the Middle East peace process, nuclear security, cybercrime and the situation in Kyrgyzstan. The Session will end with the adoption of the Oslo Final Declaration.

Featured speakers include Joao Soares, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; Dag Terje Andersen, Speaker of the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget); Jonas Gahr Store, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway; and Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, Secretary General of the OSCE. The Annual Session is the largest event on the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s calendar. Bringing together members of parliament from across the OSCE’s 56 participating States, the Session serves as a vital forum of debate on the most pressing issues facing the OSCE area. Representatives from Mediterranean Partners for Co-operation Israel and Morocco will also be attending.

The Session will also elect new officers, including a new President. Joao Soares (Portugal) is stepping down as President after completing his two one-year terms. Assembly members Petros Efthymiou (Greece) and Consiglio Di Nino (Canada) have declared their candidacies to succeed President Soares.