Thank you, Madam Chair,
Norway welcomes the Acting Head of the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, Ms. Cornelia Taylor, to the Permanent Council and wish to thank you and your team for the comprehensive report and excellent presentation.
As this year marks the 25th anniversary of the Mission in Kosovo, we would like to congratulate the Mission on its longstanding efforts in promoting human rights and strengthening democratic institutions in a complex security environment.
We continue to praise the Mission’s efforts and progress in a diverse range of areas, such as tackling serious and organized crime, combatting human trafficking and countering terrorism, and we are proud contributors to several projects within these areas.
Norway also applauds the comprehensive efforts by the Mission to address gender equality, women’s rights and preventing and treating domestic violence through various targeted projects.
Ahead of Kosovo’s Assembly Election on 9 February 2025, Norway is particularly pleased to contribute to the funding of the extrabudgetary project on “Strengthening Electoral Processes in Kosovo”.
However, as evidenced in the latest report, there are still persistent inter-community tensions and challenges. Threats to the security and stability in Kosovo also impact the security of the broader OSCE region. We urge authorities to engage in the EU-facilitated dialogue and other initiatives aimed at fostering greater understanding and cooperation to further stability and peace in the region.
Lastly, the lack of an approved unified budget represents a severe challenge to the OSCE and restricts the Mission in Kosovo, as well as other field missions’, in fulfilling their mandate. We urge participating States to actively contribute to reaching consensus on a unified budget.
In closing, let me thank you, Ms. Taylor, and your team for your tireless efforts. We wish you every success in the important work that lies ahead of you.
Thank you.